


Secrets and Lies

by That_one_person_022



Series: From Past to Future [1]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Avatar | Custom Hero is Called Gadget (Sonic Forces), Background Relationships, Boys In Love, Double Agents, Dreams vs. Reality, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Crush, Friends to Lovers, Gen, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Torture, Investigations, Laboratories, Leadership, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mind Games, Mind Manipulation, Pain, Past Lives, Reality, Research, Sad, Sonic Forces, Spies & Secret Agents, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:55:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 112,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/That_one_person_022/pseuds/That_one_person_022
Summary: Sonic thought Shadow was done being manipulated by Doctor Eggman. Shadow was always fighting for the good side after the events of the Ark. There was no reason to just...change. Shadow had a lot of things waiting for him back home. He had friends. He had his family, Rouge and Omega. Heck, he had this strange, unusual bond with the blue devil!So why is it that Shadow stands on the side of wrong this time? Why is Shadow not helping him after everything they shared? Why did he feel so broken seeing Shadow stand next to this monster that’s hurting him, doing nothing?Why Shadow?Fighting inner demons and staying strong, Sonic could only do so much as Eggman plunges him into fear and pain while fighting against the Resistance to conquer Mobius. Old research experiments and secret investigations come to light as everyone tries to survive in this war. Because the past always affects the future...Or in which I rewrite Forces with my own ideas on how it went down. I also suggest you check out the official Tumblr blog for this story, especially if you like coming up with theories or putting puzzle pieces together: https://that-one-person-022.tumblr.com/
Relationships: Amy Rose & Rouge the Bat, Amy Rose/Blaze the Cat, Blaze the Cat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Blaze the Cat & Silver the Hedgehog, E-123 Omega & Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna & Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna & Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna/Rouge the Bat, Maria Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog & Silver the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Series: From Past to Future [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2129772
Comments: 140
Kudos: 141





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
> 
> Anyways, I really thought that Sonic Forces had more potential as a game, but we all don't get what we want. So, as my first fanfic, I decided to do this instead of the homework I'm supposed to actually do. Hope you guys like it!

Cold. Sonic’s first instinct was to shiver. He couldn’t feel anything else, but the smooth, cold metal floor.

Where was he…? 

His mind could only focus on the coldness that was spread throughout his tired body. Wait, tired? Didn’t he just rest up with 10 hours of sleep yesterday? He shouldn’t feel this tired, especially since he asked Tails—

Tails! 

Emerald eyes blink open to the realization of what happened hours ago. He remembered Tails calling for his help in the city. He remembered arriving and finding that Egghead was at another one of his stupid plans to conquer the world. He remembered fighting against Eggman’s allies…

But he couldn’t understand what motives they had to fight with the Egghead! Especially Shadow. He thought the ebony agent knew better than to fall for one of the evil scientist’s lies. After all, they’ve been together for most of the time since the Ark incident. Of course, it wasn’t easy to get the brooding hedgehog out of his shell. However, Sonic never denied a challenge! Through races, sparring, and small adventures, he managed to become something closer to a friend for his rival. He even managed to convince Shadow to go out to lunch at one of Amy’s recommended cafes. Soon, the lunch date turned into a couple more, which only encouraged his darker counterpart to be a  _ little  _ nicer. Sometimes, if he was lucky, they would go to one of Sonic’s favorite flower fields after eating. They would find a nice spot and sit down. Sonic would usually talk about random things, and Shadow would listen. If he was  _ extra  _ lucky that day, he would see the smallest of smiles on his rival’s face after hearing one of his stupid jokes. They might have been small, but they were always one of the most beautiful smiles he has ever seen. Sonic really had hoped that their growing bond was changing Shadow’s relationship with him. He had hoped that they were at least on the path to creating a better friendship. Well, he had  _ hoped _ that he was somewhat of a friend to the agent…

But now Shadow was standing next to Eggman, and it broke him so much to see his rival revert to his old ways. He just couldn’t accept it! Just what did Egghead tell him to suddenly change sides! What did Shadow need from that stupid doctor! Did their outings and moments mean  _ nothing _ to him! No! He would never betray him like this! No, Shadow wouldn’t… 

Would he?

Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to deal with those questions. He needed to get up and get the hell out of wherever he was! His eyes scanned the room that he seemed to be in. There’s nothing inside except for a large, barred door in front of him. He can’t even see anything outside since there were no windows. Damn. 

Hearing footsteps nearby, Sonic became alert. He tried to sit up and get into a defensive stance. Well, he tried to at least. He was so focused on his thoughts about Shadow that he forgot he felt like  _ shit _ . Every punch and hit, from the earlier fight, didn’t just give a blow to his ego but his body as well. So much for his early resting, Sonic thought. He needed to get up and be ready for whoever those footsteps belonged to. With all his effort, Sonic maneuvered himself into a sitting position. He winced as the pain in his back was crying for him to lay back down on the floor. Voices joined the oncoming footsteps. Gotta move, Sonic quickly thought. He planted his feet on the floor to stand up until… 

The door opened to reveal Doctor Eggman. Except, he was not alone. Right next to him stood the masked-villain that beat the  _ shit _ out of him. Right, the guy with freaky powers, Sonic remembered. However, his name escaped Sonic’s mind.

The Doctor approached the blue hedgehog. With all his glory, the mad scientist wickedly grinned at the current physical state of his nemesis.

“Well, well, well. Looks like luck wasn’t on your side this time, rodent!”

Sonic refused to look defenseless, so he did what he does best.

“Who said I ever needed luck to fight against you before, Eggface! You’re just too easy to defeat!”

Yup, that did the trick as he saw the Doctor’s face turn red. Ha! Well, at least, he knew that it was just as simple to make fun of the guy! 

“You little rat! Even after you failed to stop my newest ally, you still manage to open your damn mouth to taunt me!” 

Doctor Eggman marched up to the blue speedster and managed to calmly state his next words.

“I’ll gladly make sure to  _ cut  _ out that tongue of yours and send it as a gift to your little  _ friends _ .”

Sonic couldn’t decide if the Doctor was serious or not. Had he finally tipped him over the edge this time? Sadly, he couldn’t think further of the Doctor’s words as the other visitor finally made their presence known. 

“Please, Doctor, there will be enough time for  _ that _ very soon. However, I suggest we move on according to our plans. We can play with our little toy soon enough, but we must move on quickly to the next phase.”

Listening to the jackal in disguise, the Doctor removed himself from Sonic’s personal space and retreated to stand next to the door. On the other hand, Sonic was barely registering what the dude with the mask had said.  _ Little toy _ ? Just what were they gonna do with him?

“Hey! I ain’t gonna just hand myself over that easy! You might have roughened me up a while ago, but I’m ready for another round!”

Sonic finally tried to give his feet another shot after all the talk with Eggman. And this time his feet were compliant. Still, he felt a little wobbly but nothing too bad that prevented him from fighting against this new guy.

The said person now faced him, and he softly chuckled at the hero’s words. How  _ pathetic _ , the jackal thought. But if anything, it would be fun to  _ break  _ him little by little. Now more than ever after finding out that a certain agent decided to join the Doctor’s forces. 

“Oh, hero. You cannot and never will be ready for another round. You have no idea how much power I attain in my very hands—”

“Pffff! That’s what Eggbutt once told me, too! And look, ‘m still smashing his machines and kicking his ass! What makes you think you can defeat me! I just gave you a shot but doesn’t mean you defeated me—”

“Silence!”

The jackal unleashed two warped, ruby-colored portals. Multiple thick ropes lashed out to grab at the blue hero’s body. Sonic tried to dash out before they caught him, but his body was still recovering from the earlier pain. One rope managed to tie itself around a blue leg, and another went for the right hand. In seconds, Sonic was stretched out like a starfish in front of the jackal. Sonic caught the Doctor laughing at his bad attempts to escape the abnormal trap.  _ Asshole _ ! 

He shifted his eyes to the approaching mobian. He didn’t hold back and tried to break free of the ropes. The masked-villain watched in amusement.

“Look before you,  _ little one _ . You are no longer untouchable or undefeatable! We have managed to capture you and that itself is enough to consider you have  _ lost _ . You will bend to my power and kneel before us as—”

“I don’t care! Can’t you see that I’m Sonic the Hedgehog! You see I don’t bend to anyone! I don’t even remember your name, which is pretty sad ‘cuz I only remember the names of worthy opponents—”

Sonic choked on the last words as a rope managed to sneak its way around his neck. He struggled to get out of the binds. What the heck was this dude’s problem! 

“You shall remember the name of your  _ greatest  _ and  _ last _ enemy, hero. I am an indestructible and dangerous individual that holds the timer to your life. I am your worst nightmare, oh little one. I am Infinite! You will remember that name forever as long as I still let you breathe. Oh, and I’ll make you remember with  _ everything _ I’m going to do with you.”

The jackal, now known as Infinite, came closer to the tied up hero. He stood close enough to run a claw down Sonic’s left cheek. They felt so sharp, Sonic thought. What did he ever do to this guy to garner him this much hate…?

“And I’ll make sure  _ he _ sees everything I do to you.”

What? Sonic was now confused about the guy’s words. Who was he talking about now?

Quick as a blink of an eye, the ropes removed themselves and disappeared into the dark portals. Sonic fell onto the ground. Ouch! Just what he needed, more pain. He sat up again, with difficulty, and shook out the small dizziness in his head. He looked back up at Infinite. God, he definitely hated this guy now!

“As for now, you shall remain prisoned within these walls until it’s time to move on with our plans. Are you ready, Doctor?”

Turning around to face the evil genius, Infinite walked towards him to take their leave. The Doctor delightedly smiled at Infinite.

“Of course! I cannot wait to see how much it takes to push the animal’s  _ limits _ ! It’ll be a grand show that I have front seats to watch as it happens.” The Doctor smirked at the hedgehog on the floor. 

“This will be the end of you, Sonic the Hedgehog.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and press that kudos button. :)
> 
> Next chapter:
> 
> Sonic is officially a prisoner on the Death Egg, but he still won't back down. However, his mind wanders back to Infinite's words and promises of torture...
> 
> With everything going according to plans, Doctor Eggman continues his next phase of conquering the world. Meanwhile, Infinite prepares to confront the one person that caused him humiliation and pain. He needs to confirm the agent's loyalty to their side. And he knows just the way to do so.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic is officially a prisoner on the Death Egg, but he still won't back down. However, his mind wanders back to Infinite's words and promises of torture...
> 
> With everything going according to plans, Doctor Eggman continues his next phase of conquering the world. Meanwhile, Infinite prepares to confront the one person that caused him humiliation and pain. He needs to confirm the agent's loyalty to their side. And he knows just the way to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have to warn y'all, I'm new at this. And I was stressed out today since I had a physics midterm...
> 
> anyway, let's stop talking about my college issues, and get to the chapter! Btw, I use writing as a stress reliever...so thank Chaos I have a lot of stress! Might update tomorrow, I don't know...

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out… 

  
  


He kept repeating the words to himself. He had learned that this was one of the only ways to keep his temper in check. But it was so _hard_ to keep it down when he was on the same ship as _him_. 

  
  


He still remembered the cruel events that happened days ago. He still remembered agreeing to a great offer from the evil mastermind, Doctor Eggman. His squad followed in his steps, even if they had disagreed with the alliance. Everything was going well for both parties. However, fate had other plans for them.

  
  


That idiot _hedgehog_ had to show up and ruin it!

  
  


He destroyed his plans. He destroyed his squad. He destroyed everything.

  
  


All of all the things, he remembered the specific turn of events when he was attacked by the _Ultimate Lifeform_ . He remembered every punch to the gut. He remembered every hit to the face. He remembered _every_ word that hedgehog had spat in his face. He remembered seeing the dark mobian stand before him. He remembered how his face looked. He remembered not fighting back… 

  
  


_Worthless_.

  
  


No, he was not worthless! He was a force to be reckoned with! Nothing could compare to his fighting skills and quick reflex—

  
  


_Don’t show your pathetic face around me ever again_.

  
  
  


Breath in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out… 

  
  


Placing his mask on his face again, he exited his quarters. Yes, he wanted revenge for his squad and his reputation…

  
  


But other things need to be ensured before continuing with the Doctor’s efforts to destroy this planet.

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


Inside the control room, Doctor Eggman stood tall with his arms folded behind his back. Silence filled the room, but the smile on the Doctor’s face spoke of many volumes of happiness!

  
  


Happiness at knowing that the blue hero was finally captured! All thanks to his efforts with the mysterious stone and new ally.

  
  


Everything’s going according to plan, Eggman thought. It’s finally time to initiate the next phase! And this time he’ll make sure that the pack of rodents, that often appeared next to the blue one, were done for good. Yes! He would make them disappear before they even thought of rescuing their precious _hero_!

  
  


Now, all he needed to do was send Chaos to intervene with any supplies that the stupid heroes might get their hands on to restore themselves. He would need to talk with Zavok about destroying any empty bases of his. He couldn’t afford those pests to find any link or clue about his evil plans! So much for my precious work, Eggman thought. That left him with Metal and Shadow… 

  
  


Right, the dark agent had announced his loyalty to the Eggman Empire, but the Doctor knew better. He was not sure what motives the dark hedgehog had to join his army. It seemed too suspicious for the ebony rival to switch sides that easily… 

  
  


Especially with the fiasco that happened at Mystic Jungle.

  
  


It was surprising, to say the least, that the jackal didn’t attack the hedgehog right at that moment when he arrived. But he had an idea as to why it took the jackal so long to process who was standing before them… 

  
  


It was all thanks to Shadow that Eggman had obtained the appropriate vessel to achieve his plans with the Phantom Ruby’s powers. He had told Infinite of Shadow’s mission and his tendency to remove anything that stood in his way. Sure, Shadow didn’t kill off the squad, but those were just details. He needed Infinite to think so for the stone to do its work. And so, he made sure the squad _disappeared_ completely.

He had recruited a few of Sonic’s opponents; however, others took more convincing than others. In the end, he gathered much of what he needed. Yet, he had not expected a certain hedgehog to share his thoughts on conquering this world. He believed the G.U.N agent had turned a new leaf after the Ark incident. He even remembered how many people rejoiced at the news of Shadow joining Sonic’s side. Heck! They had a special coverage a few months back about their first-spotted outing as “friends.” This was why he was so surprised to hear that Shadow didn’t believe in helping the world and Sonic. He explained that it was all just a facade to collect intel on G.U.N and Sonic’s friends. Intel that he decided to share with the Doctor to show his true commitment to the empire.

  
  


Plus, no matter how uncertain he was with the hedgehog’s sudden choice, he needed all the power he could get to push his plans forward. And if that meant accepting the ebony’s offer, then he couldn’t deny it. After all, Infinite would make sure the mobian’s words stood _true_.

  
  
  


But if he sees the hedgehog take his chances against him, he would just make sure he’s taken care of along with the blue rodent. Definitely, worth a show, the Doctor believed. 

  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


Ugh!

  
  


Sonic had tried everything, and he still couldn’t get out of the stupid cell! It didn’t help that his Chaos energy was taking longer than usual to heal some of his wounds…

  
  


He wondered why.

  
  


He should pay more attention to his conversations with Knuckles. Besides feeling the lack of energy in his body, his mind would wander off to his previous argument with Infinite and Eggman. He still couldn’t find a reason as to why the guy hated his guts. He didn’t remember meeting him before any of this happened. So what was his connection to him?

  
  


His stomach growled. Man, I could really go for a chili dog right ‘bout now, Sonic thought. Yup and he would just know the place to buy one! During one of his jogs, he remembered passing by a new restaurant that had opened. He hadn’t gone in, but Amy had told him that they served chili dogs. She said that she even tried one and liked it! Besides having good taste in food, Amy usually never ate chili dogs, so for her to even try one was mind-blowing. He knew he had to try one! Heck, he would even invite Sha—

  
  
  
  


Right, he was the bad guy now, too.

  
  
  


With now thinking of Shadow, his body managed to even feel worse than before. It didn’t help that his Chaos energy was now recognizing his negative emotions… 

  
  


But, he couldn’t help it! There was just something off about Shadow’s behavior. He still wanted to believe that his rival was good. He still wanted to believe that they were friends.

  
  


_But do friends betray each other like this? Admit it! He never liked us, and he never will!_

  
  


No! He couldn’t start thinking like this. He needed to remain positive! Yeah! For all he knows, his friends were on their way to save him! Yeah! And then they could kick Eggman’s butt again! Yeah! Maybe, they would even find out that Shadow had been under some mind control thingie. Yeah! Everything would be alright! 

  
  
  


_Are you sure?_

  
  
  


Sonic hoped.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


His presence was requested by the jackal. 

  
  


No matter how much he wished to punch each of these bastards’ faces, he needed to remain in character. This mission depended all on him… 

  
  
  


He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. He needed to secure his “allegiance” to the Doctor’s army to have access to everything on the ship. Including Sonic’s cell.

  
  


_Sonic._

  
  


He caught wind of Eggman’s plans a little after attacking his base in Mystic Jungle. He never heard of the Phantom Ruby, but he knew that any stone in the hands of Eggman was problematic. So, he decided to intervene in those plans. What better way than to go undercover as one of Eggman’s allies. Easier said than done.

  
  


Approaching the Doctor was hard enough but trying to convince him that he decided to fight against the heroes… well… it wasn’t that easy. He needed to offer something up in exchange for his place among the villains’ side. Some of G.U.N’s classified reports and locations of some secret bases of the blue speedster’s friends were the price. Through some surprising faith in him, the Doctor accepted him as an ally. Shadow, however, saw the little hesitance in the Doctor’s part. 

  
  


_He’s not that easy to fool it seems_.

  
  


Due to this small hesitance, he needed to plan out a convincing role of the bad guy. To do so, he would need to get out there and fight against Sonic’s friends. They didn’t know of his undercover mission, and he needed it to stay as such. He couldn’t afford anyone knowing anything, except for _someone_ on the outside. It all had to be kept secret and sealed for Shadow to follow through with the mission. 

  
  


_No matter how much I wished not to_.

  
  
  


With this in mind, he headed towards the main room, where Metal stated that Infinite was waiting. Besides the Doctor, he also knew that confronting the jackal was going to be difficult. Yet, it came as a surprise to him to hear that the jackal was alright with his presence among them. But he knew better than to let it go that easily. It seemed he did a number on the jackal to have him wear a mask. 

_Coward_. 

Of course, he also had plans to convince the masked-villain as soon as possible. It would be challenging, but it would be of great use to have the jackal on his side. Well, at least, not against him. 

He pushed all his thoughts aside as he neared the main room. What could _he_ possibly want with him now?

Now, he stood in front of the door that led to the inside. There was a scanner on the right side of the door. Good news: he had access to the main room. Bad news: it was of little importance compared to other rooms that he needed access to onboard the ship. He vaguely recalled Eggman describing it as a sort of entertainment room for his show. But he did not go into details about this.

_Why would Infinite want to meet here? For a possible fight? Revenge? Have they caught onto his plan?_

Shaking his thoughts away, he placed his hand on the scanner. He waited for the door to slide open. He walked inside the room. There, in the middle of the room, stood the masked-jackal. 

  
  


“I am glad you were able to join us.”

  
  


_What?_

  
  


“Join us?”

Infinite nodded towards a camera in one of the room’s corners. 

  
  


_So, it is an entertainment room._

  
  


Shadow’s thought slipped from his mind as another door on the left slid open. Metal and Zavok walked in with a cage. Inside that cage sat Sonic. 

_Shit._

  
  


The blue hero was surprisingly sitting still, Shadow thought. However, his thought was corrected. Sonic was _forced_ into sitting still as there were dark, ruby-colored chains around his legs and wrists. They looked like his inhibitors, but he felt something off about them. 

_It must be some form of restraint to keep the hedgehog from using his speed._

  
  


“You see,” Infinite started, “the Doctor seemed to be alright with _you_ joining our ranks, but I wondered how _dedicated_ you really are to our mission.”

Shadow looked at the jackal. Yes, he needed to prove his “dedication,” but with Sonic here, he did not seem to like where this was going.

  
  
  


* * *

The blue hero shifted in his cage, remaining strangely quiet. The hero, himself, had not _liked_ the encounter he previously had with the jackal, but that time Eggman was not present. So, he knew this was about to go to shit. And looking at Shadow was something he was not ready for yet. Not after Infinite’s _interesting_ conversation with him in his cell.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by Metal opening the door to his small cage. He was surprised to not see Eggman sitting somewhere, with a bucket of popcorn in his hands. Cold, metal hands grabbed at his arms. He was yanked out of his cage to only be shoved to the ground. He hated these chains, Sonic thought. When they had put them on his wrists and ankles, he knew he could no longer depend on his speed to bust his way out. 

_What the heck were they made out of_?

  
  


“I know our _first_ encounter was not pleasant, so I hope you understand my reasons as to why you should be questioned upon joining our side in this war.”

A hand went out to pet Sonic’s head, touching his ears every few strokes. Sonic shivered at feeling Infinite’s hands on him. Yup, this was giving him a bad vibe. But he couldn’t help but focus on the conversation between the two mobians. 

  
  


_First encounter_?

  
  


_Has Shadow met this guy before?_

  
  


“I understand your thoughts on my behavior, but I can confirm that I am absolutely committed to this mission. I believe this world has done me wrong from the beginning, and all I wish to see is for all those people to be swiped away by our hands. _My_ hands.”

  
  


Sonic shivered again but not from Infinite’s touch. 

  
  


“Very well,” Infinite removed his hand from his head, “I hope you continue seeing that as your goal after _this_.”

Metal and Zavok retreated from the door they came from. Now it was just Infinite, Shadow, and Sonic.

Infinite yanked Sonic’s quills and dragged him towards the center of the room. Sonic couldn’t help but let out a whimper as the move was so sudden. His body had not recovered, either. He was twisted around to look at Shadow. Infinite made him kneel before the black hedgehog. The hand on his quills was still there, but he felt the other hand snaked its way around his neck. He was petting his neck. 

Through all of this, Sonic finally looked up at Shadow. At those red, beautiful eyes. He wished he was looking at those eyes under different circumstances.

“To test your true devotion to the Eggman Empire, I order you to stand there while I _rip_ this hedgehog apart in front of you. You will not _move_ or _say_ anything! If you really are on our side, you will remain unbothered as I _damage_ my _little toy_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and sent Kudos! :)
> 
> Next Chapter:
> 
> Infinite tests Shadow's commitment to the Eggman Empire, and he decides to use Sonic as the potential bait to trigger Shadow to reveal himself.
> 
> However, a group of heroes and friends unite to fight against the forces of Eggman, but some are still getting over the shock that their blue hero was captured.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Infinite tests Shadow's commitment to the Eggman Empire, and he decides to use Sonic as the potential bait to trigger Shadow to reveal himself.
> 
> However, a group of heroes and friends unite to fight against the forces of Eggman, but some are still getting over the shock that their blue hero was captured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah I tried to update last night, but instead, I updated at 3:19 am... sorry.

_8 months before Eggman’s attack…_

  
  


_Sonic was laughing his head off, as he and Shadow raced through the forest. Sonic knew that it was going to be hard to make Shadow do anything with him that didn’t involve a mission. The ebony hedgehog had proven to be cold and stoic as ever. But, of course, Sonic knew that deep down his rival was good-hearted. If he wasn’t, then he didn’t know what his actions, during the Ark incident, should be seen as._

  
  


_“You have the audacity to daydream during our race, hedgehog!”_

  
  


_Sonic shook his head and grinned at the other’s remark._

  
  


_“Our race? If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’re trying to say that you like hanging out with me, Shads!”_

  
  


_The ebony agent scoffed at the hero’s attempts to distract him. Of course, only he would resort to taunting._

_Sonic laughed at the answer he got. Same old Shadow. In the end, Sonic couldn’t deny that this was one of the few activities he loved doing every few times. He wished that the few races would turn into many, one day. But he was satisfied with spending these few he could get with his dark,_ ~~_handsome_ ~~ _counterpart._

_They decided that the finish line would be the edge of the cliff that rested on the south border of the forest. Seeing the cliff up ahead, Sonic’s eyes zoomed in on the finish line. He used all his remaining energy into the last sprint for his victorious win. Sonic was so focused on his target, he had not seen that his running mate was clutching a green emerald in one of his hands. So, it shouldn’t had come as a surprise that Shadow had the lead in the last seconds of the race._

  
  


_“Hey! What’s the big idea? I thought you played fair, Shads!”_

  
  


_“It’s called using your resources, idiot. Anyway, you never mentioned any rules in this race.”_

  
  


_By the quick tapping of Sonic’s right foot, Shadow knew that the hedgehog did not like his ‘use of resources,’ but he was right about the idiot not mentioning any rules. The hero should know better than to underestimate him in a race._

  
  


_“Fine. You win this one!”_

  
  


_Shadow began to smirk at the blue hedgehog’s admittance to concede. Wait...the idiot never conceded before! It always ended up with them figh—_

  
  


_“So, since you won, I think you deserve a prize!”_

  
  


_And there it was. Shadow had known that his blue counterpart was trying to befriend him as he did with everybody else. However, the dark agent did not want to have any form of relationship with him. It would only lead to having to see him more times than usual. It would also mean talking to him. Talking led to sharing thoughts, which meant opening up to someone. Shadow did not want to open up to anyone. Not after losing his best friend. He believed that Maria was the only one who understood him. She never judged him wrongly and treated him as her equal, a brother. Shadow knew that with Maria at his side, he could handle the experiments, the prodding, the tests, the greediness of all those scientists…._

  
  


_But he lost her._

  
  


_No matter how much Sonic tried, he promised himself to stop opening up after Maria’s death. Especially Sonic. He was scared to admit it to himself, but deep down, he knew that there was too much resemblance between the two. Both always looked out for others before themselves. Both beamed with happiness all the time. Both followed their hearts. Yet, Sonic’s smiles were different from Maria’s. His smiles were contagious, but also angelic. Sonic’s blue cobalt fur seemed velvety to the touch. He could see the shining, vibrant hues of green with speckles of blue in his eyes. Sonic’s emerald eyes were definitely his favorite. Looking into them, Shadow was always surprised and scared. Through any occasion, they always carried a light to them that made anyone’s day when they looked straight into them. Shadow knew because he was there when it always happened. The fox’s slightly bigger smile after getting his older brother to watch him explain the mechanical parts of his new invention. Or the time when Amy would laugh at Sonic’s expression after attempting to cook, after a stressful fight with Blaze. Shadow would also feel better after looking at them. But he was scared too. He knew that if he looked too long at those breathtaking eyes, his walls would break._

_And he couldn’t afford that. He didn’t want to be vulnerable anymore. He couldn’t get close to Sonic. Not now, not ever._

  
  


_“Hello! Mobius to Shadow!”_

  
  


_A gloved hand waved in front of the ebony’s face. Right, Sonic was still talking to him._

  
  


_“What?”_

  
  


_Shadow growled at the speedster’s yelling and yanked the hand out of his face. So, it did feel that soft, Shadow thought. Maybe he could add soft fur next to emerald eyes…_

  
  


_“I was just telling ya ‘bout your prize! Since you ‘won’ and all that. Don’t ya want to know what it is?”_

  
  


_Shadow looked at Sonic’s lopsided grin. Stupid hedgehog, why does he have to try so hard! Shadow needed to squash down any of Sonic’s attempts that could lead to something else. If only he could say no with those eyes looking at him…_

_And so, before he knew it, he was nodding at Sonic’s invitation to know what he had won as a prize._

  
  


_Guess the stupid hedgehog was him, Shadow thought with a sigh._

* * *

  
  
  


Sonic was breathing hard after Infinite loosened his grip on his throat. 

  
  


“Oh dear, was I squeezing _too_ hard?”

  
  


Sonic looked up at the culprit. He narrowed his eyes at the jackal, and if looks could kill, the jackal would have died right there on the spot. Through all the _testing_ , as the bastard had called it, Sonic could finally breathe in some fresh air. He hated the feeling of choking, it only reminded him of his phobia for water. Chaos, he hoped the guy was not going to drown him next! He needed to find a way to fight back and soon…

He looked around the room, but the only thing that he could find was the stupid cage that he was brought in. So, he tried to crawl to the only person in the room that could still possibly help him. Sonic only hoped that Shadow was just fooling around with Eggman and his goons because if he wasn’t….then he was in this _alone_ …

  
  


_You were destined to be alone. You had been by yourself from the beginning. Shadow was never an exception. So, don’t worry if you die, here, all alone._

  
  


Shut up! Sonic shook his head and pushed his weight across the floor to the air shoes that were several feet away from him. He got to about halfway when he felt a push on his back. The jackal had watched as the hedgehog crawled towards what he thought was his savior. He slowly approached the blue mobian, and he pushed his right foot onto his back. Sonic lost his balance and fell to the ground. However, he still had some fight in him, no matter how weak he seemed. He tried to grab at the ankle above and twist it around for the other to fall backward. It would give him some time to move further away from the crazy villain. 

That was what would happen if Sonic had not been stopped by the invisible force that emitted from his ruby chains. Right, he forgot about them. They were the only reason that Sonic had not been able to fight back during all this shit. 

  
  


“Where do you think you’re going? We are not done yet, right _Shadow_?”

  
  


Sonic tried to look up at his rival, but it was hard to see when his face was practically shoved onto the floor. Infinite, however, made sure that would not be a problem. Sonic’s quills were attacked once again by the jackal’s hand. He lifted the hero’s face enough for him to see his rival stand there not doing _anything_ to stop this monster. Even his face remained the same! There was no anger or any of the sort painted across the agent’s face. If anything, Shadow didn’t even _look_ in his direction.

  
  


“I thought I ordered you to watch, hedgehog. What’s the matter? Can’t manage to look at your _friend_ being tortured? Ha! I knew you were weak for this ro—”

  
  


“I am not _weak_ ! I could care less about what happens to the idiot. As for not watching, I just do not see any point in this. The real _fun_ is out there.”

_Ouch_. Sonic thought Infinite getting his way with hurting him was terrible, but Shadow’s words were a stab to his heart. After everything, it turned out that his rival really didn’t care about him. No matter what he had tried or how far he went to make him smile, it was all fake. Nothing was real. 

_I told you._

Before he could start fighting with his inner voice, Infinite pulled at his quills again. He was surprised some hadn’t come off yet. This time he tried to pry off the hand and started to kick at anything he could possibly reach. However, his efforts were in vain. Those chains were not letting him use his usual strength to shake the bastard off. What also was worrying him was the glow the chains on his wrists were emitting. He noticed, specifically, that they would glow every time his mind thought of speaking up to push him down in the sea of negativity. He _needed_ to get those things off _fast_ , Sonic thought.

The yanking had stopped. Now, they were positioned right in front of Shadow. So close that he could reach out and touch him, Sonic calculated. And so he touched him. He would have if the ebony hadn’t taken a step back. Once again, Sonic shifted his gaze up towards the ebony’s face. He saw red eyes looking back. Please help me, Sonic thought.

  
  


“Little one, he won’t help you.”

  
  


Sonic froze.

What the actual _fuck_?

  
  


“Interesting isn’t it. I thought it couldn't be possible either, but the Doctor truly delivers what he promises.”

  
  


Sonic couldn’t believe it! He had heard his thought...he could hear his mind. His mind. Everything in his mind. Sonic wanted to disappear. This had to be a nightmare!

  
  


“No nightmare I assure you. This is all _real_. Anything is possible with my new powers.”

  
  


Sonic started to panic. He needed to find a way out, with or without Shadow. He tried to stand up and swing a punch to the jackal’s head from the left side. He only whimpered as the chains prevented him _again_ from doing anything. He couldn’t believe this was happening!

  
  


“How about I try to _convince_ you once more?”

  
  


Infinite’s left hand swirled in circles until a dark-tinged, warped portal appeared. Although he could not see what Infinite was doing, he knew he was using his powers through the cold, uneasiness that came from whenever he used them. He shifted his gaze towards Shadow’s face to try to see if he could read any signs of possible help. Anything to see if Shadow was just playing along.

  
  


_He’s not going to help you. Remember he ‘could care less about what happens’ to you. His words._

  
  


His mind was making it hard to remain positive with all of this happening. He was really tired and his body felt horrible. He wondered what was taking his friends so long. They had to be here by now. Wherever here is. He recalled that Tails was the last one he saw...oh Tails. His little brother had seen the showdown between Eggman’s goons and him. He knew the kit was alright, he had made sure before he blacked out. He also remembered seeing his brother’s face. He remembered his brother’s screams. It was the first time he had seen Sonic taken out so easily. But if he knew anything about his brother, it was that the little guy would figure out a plan to take down Eggface, especially with that brain of his. He knew that he would be saved soon by him and his friends! They worked well together and were great fighters. 

  
  


_Then why are they not here, yet?_

  
  


Shut the _fuck_ up! You’re wrong! They _will_ be here! They just must have encountered some problems on the way… 

  
  


_Are you su—_

  
  


“What the _hell_ are you going to do with _that_?”

  
  


He heard Shadow questioned the jackal behind him. He tried to see what Infinite was doing that had garnered a reaction from the unnerved hedgehog, in front of him, for the first time since the _suffering_ began. It must have been something the masked-mobian was holding because Shadow’s eyes were wide-opened. More so, with the way he framed his question, he knew nothing good came from Infinite’s _little game_. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Shadow was clenching his fists. _Hard_. He knew Infinite did not like the blue hero, but he never understood the reasoning behind it. All he could gather from his behavior around the blue hedgehog was hate. No, something deeper...as if the jackal thought Sonic was an abomination. It would explain why he made the hero feel… 

_Worthless_ … 

He remembered that he had regarded the mercenary with hatred as well. Why wouldn’t he? He was in his way, and he always hated it when something prevented him from achieving his goals. Yet, even he didn’t think the masked-mercenary was an atrocity. So, what does the jackal see in Sonic?

He heard another whimper. This time it was louder than the previous one. Or the other ones that had slipped from the tight-lipped mouth of the victim. Shadow hadn’t realized that he had looked to the side, where he was not facing the _demonstration_ in front of him. He needed to do something. He had to help Sonic. He needed to st _—_

  
  


_Remember Maria. She died because of you. And so will Sonic._

  
  


His fists tightened even more. He tried to reel his emotions back from increasing into a fiery fury. He needed to remind himself that it was better to remain in his role. After all, it would be an out-numbered fight if Sonic and he decided to fight against these assholes. Right? It’s not like the number mattered, though. He was the _Ultimate Lifeform_ after all. They could probably confront them all. A strategy would be needed, and he could signal Sonic somehow _—_

  
  


_Did you forget how Sonic must be feeling right now? All those punches. All those kicks. All that blood that’s on yo—_

  
  


Damn it! He spun his head to face his _nightmare_ . Chaos, he shouldn’t have turned his head! Before him, Infinite held his hands around the hero’s neck. He had his hands around his neck! Chaos! Shadow couldn’t bear what was happening in front of him. The chaos energy wasn’t healing the other cuts and bruises on the blue body fast enough. They seemed to actually make everything worse! If only those chains were removed from his counterpart’s wrists, he might heal. This also led him to another realization: With those things on Sonic’s body, he was a normal mobian. This meant that Sonic would be feeling _everything_ with far more pain than he was used to. However, now that he took a closer look, they seemed to glow… 

Before he knew it, he was gazing back at the situation Sonic was in. Sonic was lying helplessly as Infinite chuckled at the hero’s face turning into a blue-purplish hue. He’s going to kill him! Shadow might not have thought Infinite was an atrocity, but now, he believed the jackal was deranged. A _monster!_ As he was about to ready himself to attack the culprit, Infinite had loosened his grip on the hedgehog.

  
  


“Oh dear, was I squeezing _too_ hard?”

  
  


Shadow stopped himself from exploiting his cover. He remained silent as Infinite spoke to his counterpart. Sonic didn’t respond; instead, he started to crawl over towards him. Shadow was tempted to run over and protect him from this _hell_. But, once again, Infinite stopped him from doing so by placing his foot on top of the blue form. He pushed the mobian down to have his face meet the floor. But, Sonic didn’t give up. He tried to get the mercenary off of him, though it was ineffective as the chains stopped him. Those chains… 

Chaos, he needed to stop this! 

  
  


_Do it! Stop him! Attack him! Hurt him! Make him regret hurting So—_

  
  


He shook his head, again. He needed to look away to stop himself from doing something wrong. He could hold his emotions in a little longer. He needed to resist. He needed to for him to save Sonic. To _survive_.

  
  
  


_If you even manage to get that far…_

  
  
  


“Where do you think you’re going? We are not done yet, right _Shadow_?”

  
  


Shadow faced the mercenary as he questioned him. He really wanted to _hurt_ him for everything that has happened because of him. He looked on as Infinite continued to stare back. Shadow knew the monster was smirking behind his mask, especially with that sinister shine in his eyes. Their staring contest came to a stop as the jackal started to bend down. He placed his hand on those ~~beautiful~~ quills again. No, he _had_ to look away. It was impossible to see what was happening to Sonic in front of him. But the jackal had other plans.

  
  
  


“I thought I ordered you to watch, hedgehog. What’s the matter? Can’t manage to look at your _friend_ being tortured? Ha! I knew you were weak for this ro—”

  
  
  


_Are you going to let him continue?_

  
  
  


Shadow had to yell out his next words for some steam to lay off his mind. 

  
  


“I am not _weak_ ! I could care less about what happens to the idiot. As for not watching, I just do not see any point in this. The real _fun_ is out there.”

  
  


Even so, it didn’t mean he forced most of those words out, too. He needed to convince the mad jackal that their real mission was out there. Fighting against all of those that opposed the Doctor. At least to get the attention away from Sonic. He saw Sonic’s reaction. He was trying to help him, but that pain that flashed across his face was making it hard. He was helping him, even if it hurt them both.

It seemed that the mercenary was unsatisfied with his answer as he saw him drag Sonic to place him at his feet. Up close, Shadow could see every bruise, every small wound, and every droplet of blood. It was worse to see Sonic try to hold out his hand to touch him. Unfortunately for Sonic, he moved out of the way. He knew that if Sonic touched him, it was all _over_. That’s why he needed to step back. Still, it was Sonic’s pleading eyes that made him feel as if his heart was ripped from his chest. Dear Chaos! Please stop Sonic! He needed to resist! 

  
  
  


_Look at those eyes! He’s begging! Do it! You call Infinite a coward but look at yo—_

  
  
  


“Little one, he won’t help you.”

  
  


Shadow saw Sonic freeze as his face changed to one of horror at what the jackal said. He did not know what was happening until the jackal spoke again.

  
  


“Interesting isn’t it. I thought it couldn't be possible either, but the Doctor truly delivers what he promises.”

  
  


The stone. It had to be! Everything seemed possible for Infinite as long as he was using his powers from the stone. The ruby stone. Ruby. Sonic’s chains! They must be connected! That would explain Sonic’s petrified shock on his face, and Infinite speaking out loud all of sudden. 

  
  
  


_Not even his thoughts are safe anymore. What more do you need for you to fucking destroy this piece of sh—_

  
  
  


“No nightmare I assure you. This is all _real_. Anything is possible with my new powers.”

  
  


Ignoring his thoughts, he decided on coming up with a plan to find more on the stone that was placed on the jackal’s chest. If he found out how to stop the stone’s powers, he could help Sonic escape those chains. It all led to him finding out what that stone could do. How _much_ damage it could actually cause a living being. He could only hope to find this information quickly. For Sonic’s sake. 

Focusing on the hedgehog again, he saw another failed attempt to attack the torturer. It sent Sonic down with another whimper escaping his lips. Those whimpers… 

  
  


“How about I try to _convince_ you once more?”

  
  


In front, the jackal had swished his left hand in a circular motion while keeping his right on Sonic’s quills. Shadow noticed that Sonic was shaking. He saw fear in those eyes as they stared off into the distance. Then thoughts of Maria flashed through his mind. Maria’s blood. Seeing Infinite move in his peripheral vision, he looked back as something was unsheathed. For Chaos’ sake! His eyes widened at what he was holding.

In Infinite's hand was a dao blade. All black. With a sharp end. Ready to be used on something or, in this case, _someone_.

“What the _hell_ are you going to do with _that_?”

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


“Amy, calm down!”

  
  


Knuckles was trying to stop the frantic pacing of the pink hedgehog, but, in reality, who could blame her. They had learned of Sonic’s capture hours ago from Tails. The kit had run through the workshop’s door with tears in his eyes. Poor kid… 

  
  


“How can I calm down! Sonic was just captured by _Eggman_! The same person that had failed every other time!”

  
  


Amy Rose was not calming down. Not after hearing that their blue friend was in the hands of the man who _despised_ him the most! Worst of all, the Doctor was not alone this time. Tails claimed that there were others present. Others fighting _with_ the Doctor. No, Amy Rose was not calming down!

  
  


“Would you quiet down! The last thing I need to be reminded of is about Eggman finally getting his way! You also better shut your mouth if you don’t want Tails to hear you.”

  
  


Knuckles was right. The last thing they needed was for Sonic’s brother to see them like this. They needed to remain calm. For all they know, Sonic, most likely, wanted to be captured...right? He liked to play around with Eggman, and this was one of those times…maybe.

  
  


“Do we even know where they took him?”

  
  


She heard him sigh and shake his head. No. They don’t have any information on Sonic’s location. Just great.

  
  


“So, we’re in the dark until we figure something out?”

  
  


“Well, we are until Rouge finds something in any files at G.U.N. She thinks there might be a lead somewhere in Shadow’s last mission before he defected. If you tell me, that guy was _never_ going to change his ways. Can’t believe Sonic trusted that asshole.”

  
  


That’s right. They heard that Shadow was one of those _others_ that were fighting with the Doctor. To be honest, Amy believed that Shadow was good deep down. Sure, he had his rough edges and his rude behavior, but he was always helping them after the Ark situation. She, first-hand, had seen Shadow show some reflection on his actions when she confronted him. So, she was greatly surprised to hear Tails say that the broody hedgehog had sided with Eggman. 

  
  


“I don’t know. This doesn’t seem like something Shadow would do. Maybe he was under Eggman’s influence again.”

  
  


She saw Knuckles stare at her for a second.

  
  


“You mean like mind control?”

  
  


Amy nodded.

  
  


Knuckles chuckled and stared outside one of the windows. Amy did not understand what was so funny about her suggestion. At least, she was thinking of ideas! Who does he think he is to laugh at her efforts to come up with something!

  
  


“Rouge had mentioned it as well. She told me that Eggman must have _forced_ Shadow into doing this because, according to you and her, ‘this doesn’t seem like something Shadow would do’.”

  
  


Aside from Tails and her, Rouge had been shocked to the core about Shadow’s sudden interest in helping the doctor. She knew that Rouge and Shadow had a close relationship. They shared a home. They always looked out for one another. They followed the same path, together. Amy would sometimes catch Rouge and the dark hedgehog bicker as if they were sister and brother. They were practically family! No wonder Rouge wanted answers asap, Amy thought. It was her brother after all who she heard stepped onto a side that went against everything they believed in.

  
  


“How fast do you think she’ll get her answers?”

  
  


Knuckles returned his gaze towards her. He was about to answer when his communicator beeped. He looked at the contact. 

  
  


“I think she has them now.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


When he was a young kit, he remembered seeing the blue hedgehog for the first time during one of his run-ins with Eggman. He remembered that the blue hedgehog had saved him from being harmed by Eggman. He remembered how the hedgehog had checked him all over for any injuries. Foremost, he remembered how the hedgehog smiled at him and _respected_ him. Respect that he hadn’t received in years. 

Being born with two tails, he had faced many troubles and bullies. No one treated him nicely because he was seen as a walking _mistake_ from their god, Chaos. Mistreated for most of his life, he was surprised to see someone like him. Yeah, Miles Prower found something more than a new friendship. He had found his brother.

With these thoughts in mind, Tails returns his gaze to his blueprints. He knew his brother was strong and brave, but he also knew that Sonic needed help sometimes. Sonic had always handled everything for both of them. This time, however, it was his turn to handle the situation at hand. Tails needed to be calm to think straight. Right now, he was in charge. He had seen enough times and examples to be able to step up to his new role. After all, Sonic was always a great hero to look up to. 

  
  


“Come on, Tails. You could do this! You could do this! Sonic has shown you what you’re capable of. Now, it’s time to put it to use! Yeah!”

  
  


With his small pep talk in mind, he pushed himself off his chair and headed for the living room. He needed to talk with Knuckles and Amy about his plans. He knew he could do this, as long as he believed in himself, he was ready to take on Eggman!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how Sonic thought Shadow had beautiful eyes...well, Shadow thinks Sonic's eyes are more beautiful
> 
> Please comment and Kudo!
> 
> Next chapter: 
> 
> Tails takes on his own new role to help save Sonic! (Yes boi) He hopes to get Amy and Knuckles in with his plans to fight off Eggman. At the same time, Knuckles and Amy receive news from Rouge about Shadow's last mission before going rogue, and she does not sound happy... 
> 
> However, those heroes must speed up their process if they want to get to Sonic on time. Infinite brings out the big guns while Sonic tries to fight off his inner demons.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tails takes on his own new role to help save Sonic! (Yes boi) He hopes to get Amy and Knuckles in with his plans to fight off Eggman. At the same time, Knuckles and Amy receive news from Rouge about Shadow's last mission before going rogue, and she does not sound happy...
> 
> However, those heroes must speed up their process if they want to get to Sonic on time. Infinite brings out the big guns while Sonic tries to fight off his inner demons.

“According to recent activity, Shadow had been assigned to take down one of Eggman’s bases in Mystic Jungle. Omega was supposed to follow in as back-up, but he never received Shadow’s coordinates.”

Rouge had called Knuckles to inform him of any updates on the current problem. It appeared that she had found some _interesting_ things from the last written report that Shadow had handed in. These things included missing details that the crimson-eyed hedgehog himself did not fill in. 

“So, you’re saying that Omega never arrived at the base.”

Amy had learned many things about Team Dark. One of them was that the giant robot never backed down from destroying anything concerning the Doctor. Omega _hated_ the Doctor. So, with this in mind, Amy knew that Knuckles was about to be corrected.

“Hon, Omega is driven by hate to destroy _everything_ and _anything_ that is connected to the Doctor. Hence, he would not let Shadow’s _sudden_ lack of communication stop him. Plus, G.U.N.’s last recorded his GPS location to be about 10 miles east from the targeted base.”

Amy was right. She had known that the killing-robot machine could not resist using his missiles and lasers to cause destruction. However, a question remained to be answered.

“So, where is Omega?”

A tired sigh could be heard from the other end of the line. Amy didn’t like the sound of that. This was supposed to lead to answers, not more questions! 

“I still haven’t figured that out yet. According to the report, Shadow stated that he finished the job _alone_. Omega was classified as MIA, so a search party was sent out to find him. Yet, nothing came up.”

“What else do you know?”

“Aside from the mysterious disappearance of Omega, I can’t give you much more. G.U.N has been keeping a tight lid on everything since Shadow blew us off for his _new_ partners in crime. Getting his last mission file was hard enough, even for _me_.”

Rouge sounded stressed out, and Amy could only imagine what she must be going through right now. Besides being friends, Shadow was Rouge’s teammate. So, it wasn’t a surprise that G.U.N had decided to keep some things out of her reach. As she had said, the mission file had not been easy to obtain because her access had been restricted in some areas in the military organization. That included data files. But Rouge being Rouge, she managed to snatch it before anyone noticed. How Amy would never know, and all she cared about right now was helping Sonic.

“Yeah, you keep talking about what the report says, but what do _you_ think happened.”

“Leave it to you, Knuckie, to figure me out that easily! Anyways, I think Shadow had already made plans to….join Eggman’s army. He must have made some time to collect data from anything he could get his hands on before leaving. Missions files, G.U.N’s secret base locations, top-classified weapons, you name it. With all that intel, Eggman would know _everything_ and use it against us.”

Knuckles and Amy stared at each other. This didn’t sound good. It seemed like the evil scientist was actually _ahead_ of them this time. It would mean that they would have to make their _own_ team step up to the job if G.U.N deemed it unsafe to intervene. They had to come up with a team quickly if they wanted to stop Eggman before he went too far… 

“So Shadow’s mission was most likely fake. To transfer the intel?”

“Mhmm, you could be right, Amy. That would explain why Shadow didn’t contact Omega with the coordinates. He didn’t want him there, so he delayed his arrival.”

“Alright, but that still leaves us with how he—”

Bursting through the living room entrance, Tails ran over to them with a bunch of blueprints in his arms. Amy regarded the kit with cautious eyes, but with a once over, the kid seemed to be _happy_ … 

“I’ve got an idea on how to save Sonic!”

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


_“We’re here!”_

_Shadow looked around at his new surroundings. The cobalt hedgehog managed to drag him to his ‘favorite place’ as he would say. The striped-hedgehog had to admit that it was beautiful. It was a flower field that was located a few miles away from the forest they raced in. An expansive field filled with the brightest, yellow daffodils to the darkest shade of purple bellflowers. All of the flowers were beautiful! He once dreamed of visiting a place like this with Maria. She loved flowers. He couldn’t help but think of how easily she would have befriended his blue counterpart._

_“What do you think? Pretty aren’t they!”_

_Shadow nodded as his gaze continued to travel from flower to flower. Then, he saw them. A small patch of Blaue Blume flowers. He carefully crossed the field to his destination. He crouched down to be close enough to touch each petal of the flowers. Blaue Blume flowers._

_“What you got there, Shads!”_

_Without turning around, he signaled for the hero to come towards him. He heard soft footsteps move their way through the field. He saw his shadow before anything else. Seeing as the speedster wouldn’t kneel, Shadow grabbed at a hand and pulled him down._

_“Woah! What’s wron_ —”

_“I think I found my favorite flower.”_

_Sonic gawked at the hedgehog in front of him, not being able to believe his ears. Hearing no reply, Shadow shifted his gaze from the flowers to Sonic, only to find him staring with his mouth wide-opened. Why was he looking at him like that?_

_“Do I have something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”_

_Shaking his head, Sonic’s eyes softened at the broody hedgehog’s sudden questions._

_“No. It’s just that… you just shared something important about yourself with me, Shads.”_

_Shadow gave Sonic a questioning look. What had he shared that was so important? He only told the hero of his favorite flower… was he opening up? No! It was just a flower for Chaos’ sake!_

_“What are you talking about, idiot? All I said was I found my favorite flower. There’s nothing of significance in that.”_

_Shadow returned his gaze to the flower patch. He loved how each flower had its smaller clusters surround the crown in the middle. As each cluster got near the crown, its blue shade would become a little darker than the one that lied on top of it, and slowly, it would lead to the deep, rich purple crown that seemed to attract the sunlight to bathe them with its warmth. Beautiful, indeed._

_A gloved hand was placed on his shoulder as he admired the patch of flowers that now seemed to be dancing with the small breeze that passed by. Hm, he wondered where he could buy some around here. They were his favorite, but he wouldn’t dare pull some out of this haven that the flowers grew in. No, it would be wrong. Besides, he would rather see the growth of his own flowers every day._

_“A flower can tell a lot ‘bout a person.”_

_Again, Sonic was trying to get him to open up…_

_“Like what?”_

_Shadow knew he shouldn’t push this more than it already was, but once more, Sonic had this way of making him just talk. He made him feel safe and warm. He made him feel as if he was capable of doing anything with the hero at his side. He made him feel like an equal. He made him feel like a friend. No, Sonic made him feel lov—_

_“Well, every flower has a meaning, right? Like a symbol, y’know. I’m pretty sure these little fellas also have one.”_

_Before he finished that final thought, something he needed to push to the back of his mind, the hedgehog next to him continued with his explanation while giving in his own share of soft finger-touching on the same patch of flowers. The crimson-eyed hedgehog knew that Sonic was a strong force to encounter, but right now, he saw a gentle side to the younger hedgehog. A side that made him fall even hard—_

_No! Shadow could not be feeling anything for the_ ~~ _lovely_ ~~ _hedgehog next to him. He needed to distract himself with something else._

_“You’re right. These flowers are my favorite because of what they represent.”_

_Shadow turned his gaze around to peak at the cobalt speedster, and, Chaos, he saw how Sonic looked like an angel. Kneeling with a bunch of flowers around him and that sunlight, it gave the hedgehog a heavenly look! Was that a halo he was seeing above the other’s head?_

_“What do they represent?”_

_Shadow kept his eyes on the hedgehog that continued to question him about his favorite flowers. He couldn’t look away from the view. As long as he wasn’t looking at him, he was safe, Shadow thought. Remembering the azure had asked a question, he decided to indulge in this little moment between them. He saw the younger one was still admiring the flowers. Just a little._

_“These flowers are used to describe or make appearances in romantic poetry. I have read that they often are used as a symbol of desire…”_

_Shadow gulped as he felt himself become suddenly warm at the idea of explaining the meaning to his younger counterpart._

_“Of l-love....and striving...for the unreachable…”_

_He saw as the angel in front of him switched his gaze towards him, and it made everything feel like literal heaven. He was hypnotized by the emerald eyes that always managed to pull him in by themselves. Chaos, he couldn’t resist it!_

_So, he didn’t as he said the last words while maintaining eye contact._

_“They represent hope…”_

_Shadow knew he no longer was talking about just the flowers._

_“And the beauty of things.”_

_Yeah, Shadow shouldn’t have indulged in this moment because now he couldn’t help but reach out for the hand that was on his shoulder. His hand lied on top of Sonic’s. Their hands were touching._

_Deep down, the dark hedgehog was glad he went against his better judgment and indulged. If just a little._

  
  


* * *

  
  


The tip was gently sliding up his torso. However, he knew that, at any moment, the hedgehog could push it through him with all his force. 

  
  


_He loves watching you suffer under his hands._

  
  


No! The person standing over him was _not_ Shadow.

  
  


_Just because you have your eyes closed, doesn’t mean that it’s not true._

  
  


He squeezed his eyes tighter.

_Just open them! Take a look at who is pointing the blade at you._

  
  


Shut up! Shut up! Everything was _wrong_ about this. Shadow wasn’t the one holding the weapon over him. It was Infinite…

Right?

  
  


_You’re just too scared to admit that the real monster is not Infinite but Shad—_

  
  


“Please, stop this! Stop it!”

Sonic couldn’t hold back his sobs anymore. This was just too _much_ for him. He was already bleeding from the punches he received earlier; however, he was going to _die_ if the sharp blade penetrated his body! He would bleed out, and his body was not healing from the previous wounds. Sonic wanted to escape whatever _nightmare_ this was!

“Crying? Tears won’t save you from this, hedgehog. You know that I was never one for helping damsels in distress…or _you_.”

“No! Shut up! You’re not Shadow! You’re not _—”_

Another sob was choked out. Sonic could barely breathe with everything falling apart. He wanted this to be over. No more torturing. No more hurting. No more… 

“Really? Then how do I know about our visits to that flower field you like so much. Or the flower crowns that we would make. Or the time I carried you home because of your leg injury. Or the _date_ we shared right _before_ I lef _—_ ”

“Agh! Stop this bullshit! You’re not Shadow! You can’t be! Stop pretending to be him! Just stop…”

His voice was starting to get raspy after all the yelling. He didn’t care. He had known that something was going to shit once he heard Shadow ask the jackal about his new _toy_. Infinite had explained that it was only right for them to have him play with another one since he was…

  
  


_A toy. You are a toy. How many times do I have to tell you?_

  
  


Hot tears started to slide down his cold cheeks. How could he not notice this before!

  
  


_You are only used when people need you._

  
  


Chaos, he was a fucking idiot! Everything was a lie! He wasn’t going to be saved.

  
  


_Then the minute you’re useless, they will throw you away. Like a toy._

  
  


Because his mind was right, his friends didn’t want someone _weak_ . He was of no use if he couldn’t protect them. They needed someone who was always standing on top, and Sonic knew that right now he wasn’t _anywhere_ near the top. To be exact, he was falling towards the bottom of a dark abyss. All he could see was the light at the top getting smaller and smaller. Soon, he was going to reach a point, in which there was only darkness surrounding him. Nothing but the cold truth.

  
  


_That’s right. Just accept the real truth. We mean nothing to anyone._

  
  


All these times, he was just a sad excuse for a friend. No one saw him as a person with feelings. No, instead, he was something they used for protecting themselves. They always shoved the problems onto him. They never cared about him. They only cared that he solved the problem for them.

  
  


_That’s always been the truth. Now, you finally see it._

  
  


How could they do this to him? He thought he had friends. For Chaos’ sake, he thought he had a brother. How could this happen to him? What was he going to do now?

  
  


_Open your eyes._

  
  


“So, you finally accept that I am not a false copy of what is real.”

Sonic now knew that he wasn’t going to be saved. He also learned that Infinite was standing to their right, a few feet away. He now believed that the hedgehog, with a blade in hand, was the real thing.

His cheeks were soaked from all the tears that he hadn’t noticed had slipped from his once closed eyes. He finally looked at Shadow. He nodded.

“Good. Now, let’s continue playing.”

Sonic screamed as he felt the first stab. The pain increased tenfold, and he knew why.

  
  


* * *

  
  


He cleared the center table to place his blueprints and other papers. Tails had found out that Amy and Knuckles were talking with Rouge about any potential leads when he burst through the living room entrance.

“Tails, I know it must be hard to accept that Sonic was captured, but you don’t have to jump into all this—”

Tails turned around to face Amy and stop her from insinuating something that wasn’t _true_.

“I’m alright, Amy! I know I am the last person that should be saying this, but I was just in shock at what happened. I feel a little better right now, but I need you and Knuckles to listen to me. Please, just hear me out.”

He saw Amy look at him for another minute, and then looked at Knuckles that was at the other side of the living room. He was finishing his call with Rouge. She returned her gaze towards him before she sighed. 

“Fine, we’ll listen.”

Tails smiled at her answer. He turned to Knuckles to check to see if he finished his conversation with the female G.U.N agent. He wondered what Rouge had found out about the situation. 

“Did Rouge find anything about Sonic?”

Tails saw Amy shift her eyes to the floor. That’s all he needed to see to know that nothing came up from Rouge’s investigation. He sighed at the news. He needed to get his plan in action for them to start looking for his brother. He wondered what his older brother was going through right now. He could only hope that his brother was okay.

Knuckles walked back to where Amy and he were standing. He noticed his red friend take a quick glance at his appearance and returned his attention to Amy.

“Rouge is going to arrive in ten minutes. She says that there’s nothing much she could do at G.U.N., so she wants to hear your ideas, Tails.”

The young kit was surprised to hear this. For all he knew, the female bat was going on her own path to find out why Shadow had gone rogue. So to hear that she wanted to listen to his ideas, well it was shocking that she would join them to find Sonic.

“What about Shadow? I thought she was going to do something about that.”

Knuckles sighed.

“Before you got here, she was telling us about holes that she found in Shadow’s last mission report. She thinks Shadow was already with Eggman when he attacked the base.”

“Wait, seriously?”

His twin tails shifted as he heard the surprising news. Shadow was already working for Eggman? But why? What reason did he have to join the evil genius?

“Yeah, according to Rouge, she thinks that he also has something to do with Omega’s disappearance.”

“Omega’s missing?”

Amy nodded.

“Yeah…she was doing another solo mission when she heard the news. She said G.U.N. did a search party, but they didn’t find anything. Now, they don’t know what to do if Eggman _tries_ something on them.”

“But didn’t she question Shadow when he returned?”

Knuckles answered his question this time.

“Before she hung up, she had explained to me that Shadow was actually part of the search party. He explained that he had lost transmission with Omega during his fight with a group of mercenaries. He couldn’t contact him, so he thought Omega retreated. It seems that the robot machine is known for many things, but retreating is not one of them. Especially when it comes to Eggman.”

Tails knew that what Knuckles was saying was true. After doing many joint missions with Team Dark, he had discovered that the robot _loved_ destruction, and he didn’t back down when it came to destroying Eggman’s robots. So, from what he was hearing about Shadow’s explanation, this was _odd_ since Shadow knew the robot more than anyone, besides Rouge. But there was also the whole mission thing…

“Wait, _who_ gave the mission to Shadow?”

“An outside resource had claimed that they saw suspicious behavior at Mystic Jungle when they were exploring the area.”

Tails jumped up in surprise as he heard a female voice speak up as she walked in through the front entrance.

“We have a sort of hotline that we use to receive anonymous tips from anyone that wants to report any weird or suspicious activity.”

The female bat made her way towards them as she continued the conversation, seeming as if she was here all along. Tails saw her come up to Knuckles and wrapped her arms around him.

“You look like shit.”

Tails couldn’t help but chuckle at Knuckles’ first response to seeing his girlfriend again since last time. 

“I can always count on you to make me feel better. But seriously, I just need one of your hugs right now…”

The kit couldn’t help but sigh as he knew that Rouge was also going through some rough time, especially with not having both her teammates next to her this time. Tails remembered how Amy described Team Dark as more than just a team. They were a family. Just like his team that included Knuckles and Sonic. Sonic… 

“Chaos, today’s been a hectic day. I came back from my successful mission to hear that my boys were up to no good. One of them is lost, and the other is on _Eggman’s_ side. I guess you are the only good boy around here, babe.”

“Rouge…I know you don’t want me to say it, but I told you Shadow is neve—”

“No, you don’t get to say that!”

Tails saw as the bat removed herself from Knuckles’ arms. This wasn’t going to end well, he thought.

“I have seen Shadow change for the better. This is something _I_ know he wouldn’t do! There must be a reason why he’s with the Doctor. We just need to find it.”

  
  


Before Knuckles had the chance to retort back with something about Shadow being the same bad guy, Tails decided to step between them and lead the conversation to what had been the reason she came here.

“Maybe you’re right, Rouge! If we put all our effort into this plan, I think we’ll both find answers to how to get our _brothers_ back.”

He saw Rouge look at him, and she smiled at his attempt to cheer her up. He knew that she needed to hear good news right now, and his ideas, about forming their own group to fight against Eggman, is what she needed to hear.

“I’m all ears!”

Yup, Tails was going to make sure Rouge and he got their brothers back.

  
  


* * *

  
  


_6 months before Eggman’s attack…_

  
  


_With a lot of bribing and convincing, like a lot, the cobalt hedgehog managed to get Shadow to come to the flower field after each race they had. Each time they would walk around and look at the flowers. Sometimes he would hear Shadow tell him something interesting about some they pointed out to each other. Of course, Sonic loved to point out Shadow’s flower, Blaue Blume, out of all the flowers. He would try to convince the ebony agent to tell him the flower’s symbolism again, but he would just receive a scoff or a ‘You should have listened the first time.’ But Sonic did hear him the first time, and that’s why he wanted to hear the agent say it again. Sonic had the moment on repeat in his mind, but he hoped to have another one just like that with the hedgehog next to him. Except, the other, apparently, didn’t think the same thing. If anything, it was as if the dark rival became more nervous around him, especially when visiting the flower field._

_“Here!”_

_Sonic handed the hand-made flower crown towards Shadow. However, the ebony hedgehog was too focused on finishing his own crown. So, without a second thought, Sonic stood up and walked behind Shadow, placing the crown on the striped quills._

_“What are you doing?”_

_Sonic peered over the dark shoulder to look at Shadow. He had stopped his hand movements when Sonic had placed the flowery creation on his head._

_“I was telling you that I finished my crown, but you weren’t listening. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and I placed it on your head.”_

_“I know that you, idiot. What I’m asking is why you did that?”_

_Sonic was confused at what his rival was asking him. Weren’t they making flower crowns for each other? Maybe the dark hedgehog did not understand how this whole flower crown thing worked._

_“I thought we were gonna make one for each other. That’s what usually happens when you make flower crowns with someone…”_

_Shadow was giving him a blank stare._

_“Okay maybe that last part might not be true, but I swear I thought we were making these for each other!”_

_“Why should I give you mine? I’m putting more effort into mine than you did with yours.”_

_Sonic felt offended that someone criticized his handwork!_

_“Hey! I’ll have you know that I took several classes with Cream! She’s an expert, and she always liked mine.”_

_Sonic crossed his arms and pouted at his partner’s rude behavior. However, said partner didn’t care and returned to his flower crown-making._

_“Isn’t she six years old?”_

_“So?”_

_Shadow turned around and smirked at him. Chaos, that smirk was going to be the death of him!_

_“She’ll like anything at her age. Not to mention, she is always respectful and nice towards everyone.”_

_“All I hear are excuses. Admit it! You’re just jealous of my skills!”_

_“Sometimes, I don’t know why I put up with your childish behavior, faker.”_

_Sonic smiled at his rival’s comment._

_“ ‘Cuz you like me, duh!”_

_Shadow had suddenly stopped, and Sonic was worried as to why he did so. Oh shit, did he come off too strong? Should he take it back? No, that would make it more awkward…_

_“In your dreams, faker.”_

_Sonic’s bubbling laughter indicated that he heard him as he saw the ebony counterpart continued with his own flower creation. Yeah, Sonic thought, if only you knew how much I dreamed of it happening in real life, Shadow._

  
  


* * *

  
  


The blade’s handle crashed with the side of Sonic’s head.

Thump.

Shadow saw as the jackal knocked the hedgehog down. The impact of the injury had caused Sonic to fall to the ground and blackout for a couple of seconds… 

“It’s just a _toy_ to play with this _one_. Have you never seen kids do so, Shadow?”

The dark hedgehog saw Infinite approach him while Sonic tried to recover from the hit. He stared at the mercenary, as he addressed him again.

“How about you give it a try?”

Shadow saw as the crazy mobian brought up the blade to rest horizontally between them. He shifted his gaze up towards those two, gleaming eyes. Was he really going to make him use that _thing_?

“Come on, now. Do it. Or…shall I continue? I wouldn’t mind—”

Before his dead body! He wasn’t letting him use that _thing_ on Sonic. So he quickly took a hold of the black handle… 

“No. I’ll do it.”

Silence

“Ugh…”

Sonic’s groaning was the only thing that echoed in those walls. The only sound that cut off the two skilled-fighters from their staring contest. Shadow was ready to use that weapon on the monster in front of him, but he whispered something. His body froze at what the jackal had murmured.

“Don’t worry, I don’t want you to get your hands _dirty_.”

And with that, the jackal built his first illusion. One that Shadow didn’t like. He was seeing a spitting image of himself where Infinite was standing, except that wasn’t a copy. It was a false disguise that the jackal was wearing. He was masking himself to look like Shadow’s appearance.

“I think it would only be fair if you _didn’t_ move either since I couldn’t, right _Infinite_? I wouldn’t want to accidentally _cut_ something _I_ wasn’t supposed to.”

Shadow swallowed as he understood the real meaning behind those words. If he didn’t play along, he was going to hurt Sonic in a lot more worse ways. His hands were tied, and he couldn’t do anything. What’s worse was that Sonic was going to see _him_ do who knows what with that sharp dao blade. Fuck! Infinite was playing with both of them now.

“Shadow…”

Sonic was now conscious enough to see them. Well, to see what he believed was him but, in reality, was Infinite. For how long could Infinite hold this sort of thing?

  
  


_Enough time to make Sonic hurt and blame you._

  
  


He hoped Sonic was smart enough to see that that _hedgehog_ that was walking towards him was not Shadow himself. It broke his heart to see Sonic cry while he could do nothing. But to have Sonic think it was _him_ doing the hurting this time…well Shadow would rather die than to ever let that happen. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stop this or do anything for he knew that Sonic would still survive at the end. After all, the Doctor had been quite serious when he said that Sonic was only for him to—

The Doctor didn’t want Sonic damaged in any way _without_ his supervision! That was the answer! He needed to find a way to alert the Doctor of their presence in the main room. How...think Shadow think!

“Please, stop this! Stop it!”

Shadow heard Sonic sobbing as that _bastard_ kept sliding the tip of the blade up the blue body. He noticed the hero’s eyes were closed, and he kept shaking his head side to side. The poor hedgehog was suffering, and with only this being the _first_ attempt at hurting him, Shadow could not imagine what else they would do to him. Just _how far_ were they going to take this… 

“Crying? Tears won’t save you from this, hedgehog. You know that I was never one for helping damsels in distress…or _you_.”

The jackal was sneering at the crying hedgehog below him, trying to break him more than he already was. And with the way the jackal was talking to him, Shadow felt disgusted with himself, even if that wasn’t _him_ saying it. Shadow looked at Sonic. The younger one was trying so hard to remain still as he probably knew that one wrong move would end up with him having a blade through his chest. That blade was _too close_ to the body. He stared at how the pain was written on the cobalt’s face…pain he probably knew came from more than just the aching bruises or the small already bleeding wounds… 

“No! Shut up! You’re not Shadow! You’re not _—”_

He was thankful that the speed demon had some hope that _he_ was not the one hurting him. That he could _never_ do that to Sonic. Shadow ~~loved~~ cared too much about his counterpart to ever cause him pain in any form. As long as Sonic believed that it wasn’t him, the dark hedgehog knew that not everything was lost. He knew that Sonic wouldn’t give in to the mind games of this _monster_.

“Really? Then how do I know about our visits to that flower field you like so much. Or the flower crowns that we would make. Or the time I carried you home because of your leg injury. Or the _hug_ we shared right _before_ I _—_ ”

No! How did that mercenary know _these_ things about them. Things that only Sonic and he would know…that only _they_ could share… 

  
  
  


_He’s going to lose all that hope you thought he has._

  
  


He begged, with all his heart, that Infinite’s words did not convince Sonic of what he feared most. He hoped that Sonic still believed in their friendship...in what they had between them…

“Agh! Stop this bullshit! You’re not Shadow! You can’t be! Stop pretending to be him! Just stop…”

His dark ears heard how defeated Sonic sounded, with the last couple of words being just a whisper. The whisper traveled along the air to breathe against his ears, and he knew that he didn’t have long…

Making sure the jackal was still focused on the blue body below him, he turned around the room to find anything that could help him contact the Doctor. Crimson eyes jumped from the left door to all the walls that surrounded them. Then, he noticed the camera that Infinite had used to signal the others to bring in Sonic. A signal. With a plan in mind, he quickly returned his gaze at the other two in the room. He needed to hurry up. So, he looked down at his wrist and opened up the small device. Shadow had remembered that the Doctor had supplied them all with a small device that enabled them to communicate between themselves. He said that it would also keep the transmission signal hidden from other parties that would listen in on them. A small recording would do the job…

He looked up at the scene to find that the emerald eyes were finally opened. Then saw the tearful gaze shift towards him, and he wanted to punch the jackal’s face so bad. 

“So, you finally accept that I am not a false copy of what is real.”

No...Sonic don’t give in... _please_. 

A small nod was given in the direction of what the hero thought was Shadow. The small indication stopped Shadow’s heart. Infinite convinced Sonic that he would _dare_ hurt him…was that what the asshole wanted? To break him as well? To use th—

  
  


_Sonic never had hope for you. You always will be a monster to him._

  
  


He felt like his whole world broke… 

“Good. Now, let’s continue playing.”

The screaming reached his ears, and he saw the red substance ooze from the first stab. He saw how Sonic’s face twisted into one of utter agony as the tip pushed a little further. Sonic was being hurt. The ebony hedgehog hadn’t noticed he started to shake, almost crushing the device he had in his hand.

The recording.

Shadow saw three digits in the corner of the screen. 2:02. He recorded two minutes of Sonic’s suffering under the hands of this _motherfucker_. It was enough, and with that, Shadow attached the recording to a new message. 

  
  


_Don’t you want to hear the sounds of his bones breaking in your hands?_

  
  


Shadow snarled and readied himself for the first punch.

  
  


* * *

  
  


_After spending a couple of hours in the flower field, which Shadow still couldn’t believe was convinced into visiting after their races, they decided to head back. Both blurs came to a stop in front of Sonic’s small two-story house, with a garage-turned-workshop from the efforts of a smart fox._

_“Are you sure you don’t wanna come in? Get somethin’ to drink before leaving?”_

_Sonic was walking towards the front door while asking the agent if he didn’t want to rest up before leaving for his own home. Shadow knew Sonic’s real intentions. However, he already had spent too much time with the optimistic mobian for his comfort...at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. Deep down, Shadow did want to come into Sonic’s house. He did want to take that offer for a drink. He did want to be in the blue hedgehog’s presence. But he would be letting himself open up to those emerald eyes. He wasn’t ready for that…and didn’t want to ever be ready. This thing they had between them was good enough, more than enough, but Shadow knew that it shouldn’t have been like this, to begin with. So, with all his effort, he replied to his rival’s invitation._

_“I’m fine. I need to get back before Rouge starts poking around my stuff.”_

_The blue hedgehog leaned against the doorway, giggling at Shadow’s comment about his teammate. He felt himself blushing when he heard said giggle. He needed to calm down before he became a mess in front of this hedgehog._

_“You two act like siblings! You remind me of Tails and me, except Tails doesn’t need to remind me about my grumpiness!”_

_“I’m going to ignore your last comment because I know how much of a child you can be from out of your brother and you.”_

_Sonic smirked at his retort. Chaos, he hoped his face wasn’t burning…_

_“Whatever you say, Shads.”_

_With that comment, the blue speedster stood straight and passed a gloved hand through soft quills._

_“Let’s do this again soon, yeah?”_

_Shadow looked at the one standing before him. He needed to stop these weekly visits with his rival. They had turned from once every two or so weeks to now every week. The hero used any method, from bribes to favors, to make Shadow hang around more often. He couldn’t help it at the end and gave in to Sonic’s efforts to hang out together more often._

_“We’ll see.”_

_He turned around, getting ready to head back to Club Rouge, but then he remembered the flower crowns he had in his hand. He had taken off the one Sonic had made for him since he didn’t want it to fall off while they raced back. Sonic had said that he made it for him. Sonic’s crown consisted of yellow daisies and white baby’s breath flowers. The light colors contrasted his dark quills nicely and gave him a ‘down to earth’ look that Sonic had told him. He loved it. However, he couldn’t let the hedgehog know that, especially with that ego of his. Then he looked at his flower crown. It was composed of many small, purple lilacs with some red phlox intertwined between every few pink hollyhocks here and there. He really liked it…but he also knew how much more he would like it if a specific someone wore it._

_He turned around to notice that the blue hero was staring at him. Was he doing so all this time, Shadow thought._

_“Hey, faker.”_

_Sonic shook his head and cleared his throat._

_“Yeah?”_

_“Is it true when you told me that flower crowns are to give away to those you make them with?”_

_Sonic tilted his head to the side and put a finger to his lips. Then he snapped his fingers._

_“Oh! Well, I have always thought that’s how it went with flower crowns. Of course, you don’t have to if you want to keep it, but it’s a nice gesture. It kinda shows that you care about them since you made something with them in mind…”_

_Shadow shifted from foot to foot. Did Sonic give him his crown because he cared about him? Because he was in his mind while they were doing them? Did he make his own thinking of Sonic?_

_“Here.”_

_Shadow handed the flower crown to the cobalt hedgehog. The blue one was shocked to see him give the crown he worked so hard to make, according to the ebony’s words._

_“Uh…you don’t have to if ya don’t want to—”_

_“I’m sure. Not to mention I already have one, courtesy of you, and I don’t have space to keep them around.”_

_Sonic took the crown from Shadow’s hands. The ebony felt Sonic’s gloved fingers, and how he hoped to one day be able to touch the peach fingers inside that glove. He remained in his spot as he saw his rival place the flower crown on his blue quills, adjusting it to fit between his ears._

_Shadow stopped breathing as he saw the hero stand there with his crown on his head. He looked gorgeous, Shadow thought. He definitely liked how it looked on his blue counterpart._

_“How do I look?”_

_Handsome._

_“Better than your usual unclean self.”_

_The younger ~~handsome~~ one giggled again. _

_“I’ll take that as a compliment.”_

_Shadow needed to turn around before the younger of the two saw his burning red face. Before he sped off to his living quarters, the cobalt_ ~~_handsome_ ~~ _hedgehog spoke up once more._

_“Thank you, Shadow.”_

_He didn’t look back but responded._

_“See you next week, faker.”_

_With that, he sped off, creating a sonic boom, but he managed to hear Sonic’s last words before the boom took its effect._

_“I knew it!”_

_Shadow knew he had a small smile growing on his face. Sonic the Hedgehog made him smile. Shadow always came back to his_ ~~_favorite_ ~~ _blue rival at the end._

* * *

  
  


Dusting off his gloved hands, he grabbed his glasses and swiped them clean from the dirt that was smudged on them. He knew it was going to be a hard job to carry the robot all the way out _here_. However, it was better to be safe than sorry.

“I hope you’re right about this, Shadow.”

The red wolf took his leave from the hidden place, making sure no one saw him. They couldn’t afford any mistakes in this mission. It was their only way to get that stone and save the Hero of Mobius.

The wolf sighed as he headed for the hideout to wait for Shadow’s signal for the next part of the mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Sonic :'( 
> 
> Next chapter: 
> 
> Eggman finds out that Infinite is using Sonic in ways that he had not agreed to, and he decides to teach the jackal who's in charge.
> 
> Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Rouge need to make some calls for their plan to work. At the same time, a certain duo returns from the future to only find out that their friends need their help.
> 
> More importantly, how does the red wolf know Shadow?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggman finds out that Infinite is using Sonic in ways that he had not agreed to, and he decides to teach the jackal who's in charge.
> 
> Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Rouge need to make some calls for their plan to work. At the same time, a certain duo returns from the future to only find out that their friends need their help.
> 
> More importantly, how does the red wolf know Shadow?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! :) enjoy.

“So I said it’s no use to look for something like that. They could always buy a new one, even a newer model while they’re at it.”

The purple princess was listening to another one of her friend’s stories about a group of mobians he had saved while they were visiting their future. Even if they did not belong here, they couldn’t seem to let go of their friends and relationships that they had made here. They had learned so much from a certain blue hero, and she admired the hedgehog for his bravery and passion to help others. Besides knowing the Hero of Mobius, they also valued their friendships with the others. Specifically, she cared much about a pink hedgehog. 

Amy Rose was a strong female and exuded confidence in a way that Blaze found attractive. Of course, it wasn’t love at first sight with the pink female. Amy had attached herself to Sonic, but the hero did not return the same feelings for his friend. So, it wasn’t a surprise that she was heartbroken to find that the ‘love of her life’ was not interested in her. What was a surprise, to her and others, was that Amy confided in the princess after she learned of the news. Blaze always wondered what Amy had seen in her. She doubted that the female was even interested in other _females_ . But, of course, Amy had to be _bisexual_ . She was surprised that the hedgehog was comfortable having a relationship with a partner of the same sex. In the end, Blaze discovered that it was _her_ that wasn’t comfortable. She never experienced such things, especially with growing up with a future that wasn’t the greatest. 

But, somehow, Amy Rose showed her how to love and enjoy the little things of life. They had several dates and conversations before they decided to become official. Even then, they decided to take everything slow, which a certain blue speedster had made jokes about at their expense. However, the pink female retorted with her own thoughts about Sonic’s secret crush for a _certain_ person. Blaze had her guesses as to who her girlfriend was referring to, plus it wasn’t like Sonic to be _subtle_ about it. At the end of it all, Amy and she managed to build a strong relationship based on honesty and pure love. 

Unfortunately, being _too_ honest was not always the best thing in a relationship.

“What do you think, Blaze?”

The princess’s thoughts vanished when she heard her name. She looked at her companion that had become one of the most important people in her life and best friend.

“Sorry?”

Silver looked at her with his golden eyes filled with worry. He always had to worry about her, she thought.

“Are you alright? Do you want to stop...we can take a break?”

Their visits were stressful trips, especially when you time travel into the future some 200 years or so.

“I’m fine, Silver. I’m just nervous to see everyone again.”

Silver’s eyes softened as he decided to rub her back in a soothing movement. 

“Are you sure this isn’t about Amy? Are you guys still mad at each other?”

Blaze sighed. Besides being stressful trips, time-traveling was something that Silver and she did constantly. It was like their job. Just like everyone had a job here. Sadly, Amy did not always enjoy the idea of having her going into the future. They didn’t see each other often as they did before when they started dating. More importantly, Amy was always scared to see her leave her side, thinking that she would need her help. Blaze always reminded her that she had Silver, and she was able to defend herself with her pyrokinesis powers. This, in hand, had led Blaze to believe that Amy didn’t see her as an equal, someone that always needed help. However, she was always fighting from a young age, so she was capable of doing things for herself. Which leads to why Silver was asking her about Amy and her current situation.

"We're not mad at each other. We just had a disagreement, and remember how Amy can be. She gets over these things quickly."

"But you have these _disagreements_ more often than before. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Blaze knew that she could trust Silver, but she didn't want to talk about the problem just yet. And she hated how she pushed the problem away until it couldn't be ignored. She must have gotten the habit from a grumpy hedgehog that she was, surprisingly, close to as well. 

"Don't worry. I'll talk with Amy when we arrive. Right now, we should focus on actually finding them."

Silver nodded.

"I think we should head to Tail's workshop. We could probably find them there…"

Blaze nodded as she agreed with Silver's suggestion. She knew she had to speak with Amy, but right now, she just hoped to get a hug from the pink female when she saw her. Time-traveling was exhausting.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The Doctor did not like it when his machines rebelled against him. They were made to follow his orders and only _his_ . However, the same was expected of those who sought to ally with him. Although they worked together, he knew that the real mastermind was himself. Therefore, he had every right to be in charge. That's why he was angry as he saw the footage that Shadow had sent him. The faint ruby-like color of the air gave away to Infinite’s masked reality. To the blue form inside that misty substance, it was unnoticeable, but to an outsider and _expert_ of the stone, it was visible. That’s why he noticed what was happening even if Shadow couldn't send a video of ‘himself’ hurting the other hedgehog. 

Infinite was _damaging_ the blue hedgehog, _without_ his permission! That bastard knew he wasn't allowed to do so if he didn't order it, Eggman thought.

"It looks like my _ally_ needs a little lesson for disobeying me."

Getting up from his chair, the Doctor stomped his way to the main room, where he suspected the video had been taken. He was frustrated that he had to put a stop in the middle of his conquering to put that imbecile back in his place. He knew the jackal was almost invincible with that stone in his chest. _Almost_ . Although the Phantom Ruby conjured everything that Infinite wanted, the Doctor knew _he_ controlled the intensity of that power. No to mention that the _real_ one was in his hands, not on the jackal’s chest.

Upon arriving at the main room, the Doctor noticed shouting was coming from inside the room. _Now_ what?

Eggman placed his hand on the scanner, and the door slid open to reveal an interesting sight. The mist was fading away, which meant that the illusion was falling apart. It looked like the illusion wasn’t the only thing falling apart as he saw the blue pest lying in the center of the room. Then he saw the _real_ Infinite standing a few feet from Shadow, who was slumped against the wall at the far side of the room. Then he remembered that the hedgehog had sent him the video… 

“What do _you_ think you’re doing with my _pet_?”

The Doctor saw the jackal noticed his presence in the room and looked back at the black hedgehog that was trying to stand up. 

“I knew it! You are not—”

“Do I need to repeat myself, _Infinite_?”

Eggman didn’t like to repeat himself, and he knew the jackal was also aware of this. The masked-mercenary returned his gaze to the mad scientist. 

“Doctor, it was prudent for me to find out if this _hedgehog_ spoke the truth. Did we not agreed on testing—”

“I did not care how you found out about Shadow’s true intentions, but I was _very_ specific about not touching _him_.”

Eggman was pointing a finger at the hedgehog that was still lying on the floor, who also seemed to have lost consciousness due to the blood loss. The _blood loss_ . The Doctor knew that the fresh wound, made by the blade, was nothing too serious to worry about. However, he also knew that as long as the blue hedgehog wore those chains around his wrists, his body would not be healing at its normal pace. He did not care for the hero’s well-being, he was his nemesis, but he did want the hedgehog to be alive for when he reached the _final_ phase of his plans. He wanted to see the blue pest crumble as he saw his precious home destroyed by his own hands. And for that, he needed Sonic _alive_ no matter how much he wished to not have it be so. So, he did what was best for the situation.

“Doctor, we talked about—”

“Zip it!”

Doctor Eggman turned around to face the black hedgehog and then the blue counterpart. Although he did not trust Shadow completely, especially with him attacking Infinite after all this, he needed someone to keep an eye out for the Doctor. He needed Shadow to oversee the jackal’s actions. He sighed as he knew it was the least likable choice right now, but he needed to talk with Infinite _alone_.

“Shadow, take Sonic back to his cell. I’ll give you temporary access to it for now. Clean up his wounds and patch him up.”

Shadow nodded and walked towards the unconscious hedgehog. Infinite grabbed Shadow’s arm before he reached the other one, snarling under the mask.

“Doctor, you have to listen to me when—”

“Let go of him. I need to talk with _you_.”

“But—”

“Do you remember who bestowed that stone upon your chest? I easily gave it to you, and I can easily _take it_ away from you…”

Infinite released his hold on the ebony’s arm. He remained where he stood and did not argue against his words. _Good_ , the Doctor thought. He waited until Shadow, carrying the other hedgehog bridal-style, was out of the room completely before he addressed the mercenary.

“Now, let me remind you what happens when you disobey my rules.”

  
  


* * *

“You can always count on us!”

“Thank you, Vector. We’ll see you soon, then!”

Amy hung up on the last contact they had on the list of friends and allies they could recruit for their new team. She was, at least, glad that they had people who were willing to fight against the mad scientist without Sonic being here this time. Amy learned as she grew up, alongside the hero, that many followed him for leadership and hope. They saw him as a beacon of light. However, this time their beacon of light was taken away. But, Amy had hoped that this did not cause people to worry, and right she was. Many of their friends were prepared to give it their all for Sonic and Mobius. 

“Okay, I think that was everyone!”

Amy turned around to see that Tails and Knuckles had finished with their share of calls.

“Well, good news! The Commander has finally cleared me and given me access to almost everything. They didn’t see any connection between Shadow’s actions and me.”

Amy smiled at the news. This meant that G.U.N. could still possibly be an ally on their side…

“What did he say about our plan? Is he going to join us?”

Rouge looked at the pink hedgehog and answered.

“He said they could offer some supplies, but he believes they cannot fight against Eggman directly if he knows about their bases and weapons.”

Well, at least, they would provide us with some things…

“Wait! That’s it!”

Amy turned around as she saw Tails scramble for some papers on the table.

“Maybe they can serve as some sort of diversion...let’s see…”

The pink hedgehog saw as the young kit looked over some of the notes and referred back to the map that had markings all over. Just like G.U.N. and Eggman, they had their fair share of a few secret bases that were often used to recover from a mission in a nearby location. They might be heroes, but even they needed their rest.

“Eggman doesn’t know that _we_ know about the intel he has on G.U.N. so we use that to our advantage!”

Amy heard Rouge speak up.

“We use them as a distraction while _we_ do the _real_ work. I like your thinking, kid!”

Tails smiled at Rouge’s compliment and peered back at the map.

“We just need to figure out _when_ we should use that advantage.”

Everyone nodded and knew that they only had one shot at using this trick on the Doctor.

“What about when we—”

Knocking. Guess Vector arrived earlier than expected, Amy thought. She headed for the front door. She was already yelling before opening the door…

“You got here fast, guys! I thought—”

She expected Team Chaotix to be standing there, but instead, she saw two time-travelers.

“Blaze? Silver? What are you doing here?”

Silver waved at the pink female while her girlfriend answered her question.

“Hello, we just came back from our mission. Is this a bad moment…?”

Amy remembered the time-travelers had a mission that required their presence back into the future. She was still a little upset that Blaze did not want her help. Not to mention that she barely saw her purple feline partner these days.

“No, I just thought you said it was going to take two weeks…”

Before her girlfriend responded, the silver hedgehog answered.

“We were, but we had a little help from some others back home!”

“Silver’s right. We managed to take care of the problem in a shorter amount of time.”

Amy knew that Blaze and she had their differences with how they handled themselves, but in the end, the princess loved her and she loved the feline… 

“That’s good to hear! I’m sure you could have managed by yourselves either way. You two are strong fighters after all…”

Amy was talking to both of them, but she let her gaze wander to her girlfriend. The purple feline was shocked to hear Amy say those words, a hidden apology between the two lovers. So, her mood became lighter as she saw the small smile on her girlfriend’s lips. Yeah, Amy thought, I love her.

“Thanks, Amy! We wanted to stop by and say hi to everyone else if they’re here.”

Silver’s words brought Amy back to the situation at hand. Right, they don’t know… 

“About that...we’re actually in the middle of forming a group to save Sonic…”

She expected shocking faces from the two, but instead, she received blank stares. Did they know about Sonic already? Fortunately, Blaze answered her questioning expression.

“When doesn’t he need saving…”

The pink female facepalmed. Now, she understood the lack of surprise from her two friends. Sonic was always one for causing trouble when he fought the Doctor. He did so many times that sometimes the hero would indulge the scientist in thinking he finally captured him. In the end, Sonic would need his friends’ help to stop the Doctor from destroying a city or stopping his latest invention. Amy still couldn’t believe the _fastest_ thing alive wasn’t fast enough to finish the job alone. She sighed and stepped aside to let them in.

“Trust me, this time it’s serious…”

The two time-travelers entered the workshop. Amy was about to close the door when a buzzing bee came crashing into the silver hedgehog. 

“Woah! That was a soft landing!”

Two more male figures came barging in through the door. One of them was a tall crocodile, and the other was a purple chameleon. Along with the bee that was sitting on the hedgehog, they made up Team Chaotix. They owned a detective agency and got the job done. Well, most of the time.

“Charmy! What I tell ya ‘bout sitting on top of other people!”

Charmy the Bee looked at the crocodile.

“I just wanted to see if I would make it! Tell him, Espio!”

The purple chameleon, known as Espio, nodded at the crocodile with closed eyes. He remained calm as if he was used to the two others constantly arguing. Amy knew this better than anyone after witnessing several fights between all three.

“He miscalculated his landing, Vector, so don’t worry about it.”

Charmy was smiling as he climbed off the hedgehog under him.

“ _However_ , he’s going to apologize to Silver. Right, Charmy?”

Charmy pouted. Amy thought the pouting kid looked cute, but she knew that he was a dangerous kid to mess with, considering who were his guardians.

“Yes, Espio.”

The bee turned around to face Silver, who was getting up with the help of his feline friend.

“ ‘m sorry, Silver. I should have been more careful and watched where I was goin’.”

Silver rubbed the back of his head and smiled at the young bee. He shook his head.

“It’s alright! Accidents happen. What are you guys doing here, though?”

Charmy turned around to face the others.

“They don’t know ‘bout Sonic?”

Amy stepped forward and tried to explain, once again, with more detail about the current problem.

“That’s what I was going to tell them before you got here.”

She signaled for everyone to walk towards the table that Knuckles, Rouge, and Tails were standing next to. They all had amused smiles as they watched the previous scene unfold in front of them.

“We learned, from Tails, that Eggman has finally revealed himself from his hideout and with a new plan. Unfortunately, this plan happens to have _worked_. The consequences were…unexpected.”

Knuckles continued the explanation.

“Eggface has captured Sonic, and we don’t know _where_ he has him. So, we are trying to figure out something for that part of the problem.”

Blaze peered closer to the table’s contents as she questioned the group.

“ _Part_ of the problem? There’s more?”

Amy nodded as she decided to stand next to her girlfriend.

“The Doctor is not fighting alone. He has other allies this time. Worst of all, there’s a new guy with some _weird_ powers that allow him to do almost anything. He’s the reason why Sonic was captured.”

The pink hedgehog felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see her favorite princess try to comfort her as she told the news. She appreciated the princess’ attempt.

“Do we know what is allowing him to have these ‘weird’ powers? Is it a chaos emerald?”

Amy shook her head at her partner’s question.

“No, we just know that Eggman has something to do with it.”

She heard Silver’s voice to her left as he asked his question.

“So, Eggman doesn’t have the chaos emeralds...why don’t we use that to fight him off. Maybe Shadow and I can trans—”

Before the pink female stopped Silver, Rouge took a step forward and told the other news of the problem.

“We don’t know where the emeralds are or their status. Even then, Shadow will not be helping us for this fight…”

This time everyone looked at Rouge with questioning looks. Amy still didn’t believe that Shadow would do this to them…

“Why? Is this an ‘Ultimate Lifeform’ thing because h—”

“No. Shadow’s not joining us because this time he’s with Eggman.”

Silence.

Amy felt the hand on her shoulder become tighter. Of course, how could she forget! Blaze and Shadow had this odd friendship that bloomed from their similar habits and moods. Both shared several similarities that made them look like _literal_ siblings, if not for the different species. Amy recalled that she had gotten jealous one time for her girlfriend spending too much time with the dark hedgehog. However, she learned that Blaze confided in Shadow about her relationship with Amy. Apparently, the broody rival was good at giving _love_ advice. Something about Shadow being a classic romantic. Ha! If only the grumpy hedgehog took his own advice when it came to a certain speedster, Amy thought. Through it all, Shadow was somewhat of an older brother for Blaze and Silver. Both of them always appreciated the older hedgehog’s help and guidance.

“I don’t believe Shadow would be capable of such a _thing_. After everything that the Doctor did to him, what you’re saying is absurd.”

This explains Blaze’s sudden upsetness, and she wasn’t alone in defending their broody friend.

“Blaze’s right! Shadow wouldn’t do something like this. He’s changed! All of you should know better since you saw him help you guys—”

Amy knew how hard it was for Silver and Blaze to accept this, but she couldn’t let them get angry at them for something that was the truth…

“No, Rouge’s right. Shadow was seen with Eggman when Sonic was captured.”

“So! It could all be a fac—”

“Blaze, hon, I saw his last mission report...he already was with the Doctor when he was sent in to shut down his hideout. He only played us...we just don’t know how long for.”

Blaze was shaking her head as she heard Rouge’s words.

Immediately, Silver was at her other side to calm her down. She heard Silver whisper to her to take small breaths. Amy hugged her from the side, but she became sad as she saw the princess's eyes become tearful. Oh, Blaze…

“It’s okay...I got you…”

Amy whispered soothing words to Blaze to make sure she didn’t have another _episode_. Another thing she remembered that the feline had told Shadow of since the dark hedgehog personally had his share of experiences with that. 

“How long...has he been lying to us?”

Amy heard the princess’s broken voice, but she couldn’t give her the right answer because even she didn’t know.

“I don’t know…”

Just how long were you playing the role of a good guy, Shadow. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Shadow carried the defeated hedgehog back to his cell. He had encountered Metal on his way, but the robot didn’t do anything but say that a medical aid kit was already placed in the cell as well. It looked like the Doctor had sent out a message to the others about the current situation. Otherwise, he would have been confronted since he was not allowed to enter Sonic’s cell.

Both hedgehogs walked down the corridor that led to the small prison-like cell that had the hero isolated from the rest of the world. He wondered if Sonic even knew that they were in outer space, Shadow thought. He stopped at the end of the corridor. He placed his hand on the scanner, and just like he was told, he had access to the cell. However, it was only temporary...Shadow needed to change that. 

He gently placed the blue body on the floor as he scanned the inside of the cell for the medical aid kit. He saw it in one of the corners. He walked over and grabbed it. Returning to the blue hedgehog, he finally saw all the wounds that were inflicted on the younger one. Shadow sighed as he began the process of healing all the wounds that he _could_ with the limited supplies he had.

  
  


_Look at all those purple bruises…_

  
  


He touched every single one with his fingertips.

  
  


_All those scratches…_

  
  


He tried to clean the small cuts that were made by the jackal’s claws.

  
  


_And that bleeding, open cut._

  
  


Shadow was shaking slightly by the time he got to the large wound that was made by the blade.

  
  


_It will forever be a scar. A reminder of when you couldn’t save him as you watched that monster hurt him…_

  
  


Shadow was holding in his tears. He needed to appear indifferent to healing the hero’s body...but it was _so_ difficult when all he wished for was to run away with him from this _hellhole_.

  
  


_If he even survives to see his freedom again._

  
  


Fuck you! He damned his thoughts as he healed every wound...if only he had a chaos emerald. Unfortunately, he needed to give it to his _outside_ source for their plan to work, and having one near the Doctor was something they couldn’t afford. He remembered that he also needed to send the signal for his source to continue to the next part of their plan. The question was how he was going to do so without being caught… 

The ebony hedgehog shook his head as he focused on stitching up the cut. He could barely do so without trembling at the sight of Sonic’s blood.

  
  


_Blood that will forever be on your hands._

  
  


He took a deep breath and exhaled. He needed to remain calm as he knew that _someone_ had to be watching them. He kept this in mind as he followed through with the procedure. Trying to keep his unstable emotions aside, he didn’t notice as emerald eyes blinked open. Crimson eyes glanced up to the hero’s face and became still at seeing his counterpart awake.

“You’re back—”

Surprisingly, the wounded hedgehog still had some strength in him as Shadow was pushed away by peach arms and blue legs. Was his body finally regenerating his energy, Shadow thought. Was the proximity of the stone affecting how effective the chains were? Before he could continue these thoughts, his rival started to yell at him.

“Get the hell away from me!”

His heart clenched when he heard him say those words. He had forgotten that Sonic passed out to the idea that ‘Shadow’ was hurting him. That jackal had gotten Sonic to believe that it was him that tortured him.

“If you don’t let me wrap up that wound, your stitches are going to reopen.”

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to at least try to help Sonic, even if the hero believed he was doing otherwise.

“Don’t get near me! Just leave! Please!”

The cries were making it hard for Shadow to keep a neutral face. Sonic was _scared_ of him. 

“If I do, then someone will eventually come to do so…”

He tried to convince the hero by implying that another one of Eggman’s goons would do it and who knows what else. The hero was in a weak state. He was vulnerable for the first time. They would take _advantage_ of that at the first chance they had.

Shadow took a step forward. Some whimpering could be heard. Another step. Still no response. Another step. He saw the hero squeeze his fists. He took two steps this time. More whimpering. He felt horrible as he saw the hero react to him as such for the first time. He crouched down and unrolled a piece of the bandage roll. His hands reached for the wound in slow movements. This time he was able to make out the shaking in the hero’s eyes as he maintained eye contact. Red eyes gestured at the wound, and emerald eyes regarded him with _fear_. After a few seconds, Shadow received a small nod from the fragile hero. A small gasp was heard as he touched the stitches.

“Why did you do this?”

Shadow heard his rival’s quiet words.

“It shouldn’t matter to you...but if you must know, I was wronged by the people I helped. They proved to never change their ways, so why should I change mine.”

No one could find out about his plans….

“Stop lying! You know that’s not true! You have friends—”

It would be risky to even have the hero know…

“ _Your_ friends. They were never mine.”

“What about Silver and Blaze—”

Shadow remembered the time-travelers’ faith and admiration for him…

“They were just pawns in my game.”

“How could you forget about Omega and Rouge—”

He remembered how he needed to betray his teammates, his _family_ …

“Worth the lies I had told to get me the information I needed from G.U.N.”

“What about _us_!”

But he couldn’t do this alone and be _sane_ to follow through at the same time…

“Did you really think those _races_ in _Apotos_ meant anything? Or the _visits_ to _Holoska?_ Or the _nights_ spent at _Emerald Coast?_ ”

Emerald eyes stopped shaking as he saw the hedgehog realize what he was saying.

“You were out of your _mind_ if you _think_ I ever enjoyed our times together. They were all _lies_ to _convince_ you of something that isn’t the _truth_ . I was _playing along_ so everyone didn’t _notice_ how I _planned_ to take you all out.”

He noticed as emerald eyes widened slowly as he implied what he was doing here with Eggman.

“ _I_ cannot _believe_ we meant nothing to _you_ …”

And so the blue hedgehog’s reply was all he needed to know that Sonic figured it out.

“ _Good_ to know that _you_ now are _informed_ of my _real_ intentions.”

An emerald gaze told him that Sonic still believed in him. He just hoped it wasn’t the wrong thing to do so. He just hoped that the trust between them wouldn’t be broken again by the jackal.

Shadow left the hedgehog after he packed everything back into the aid kit. He looked at the time on the device that was on his wrist. It was almost time to contact his _source_. He sighed as he knew that he had to update the red wolf on the change of plans…

* * *

  
  
  


The red wolf heard the computer beeping. He hurried to answer the call. 

“Did you do the job?”

Always to the point, the wolf thought.

“He was heavier than I initially thought, but I did.”

He heard the black hedgehog snort.

“You _didn’t_ think he would be heavy?”

The red wolf became flustered as the other one thought he must have been stupid to think a robot would be easy to carry.

“Ha ha...make fun all you want but remember that _I_ got the job done.”

The black hedgehog cleared his throat.

“I know this call was a sign to move on to the next phase, but there is an update you should know of.”

The red wolf frowned at hearing this. Did someone find out something, he thought.

“What is it?”

Silence.

“The hero knows.”

Sonic knew about their plans! How would he even know—

“Did you tell him?”

More silence.

“Yes.”

The wolf sighed at hearing the new _update_ of their plan.

“Are we continuing with everything else though?”

He hoped the change did not mean that they would have to come up with something else…

“Yes, the next place of attack is the center of the city. Do you remember what to do?”

The wolf nodded but remembered the dark hero couldn’t see him.

“Yeah. I have to be there and blend in...which will lead me to the other heroes. I have to join in on their ‘mission’ and infiltrate their group.”

“Correct.”

The red wolf took a red pen and x-marked the center of the city.

“Anything else I should know before our next call?”

“That’s all for now.”

He was about to hang up until he heard Shadow speak up again.

“Thank you for doing this, Gadget.”

The red wolf, known as Gadget, smiled at the hedgehog’s words.

“Anytime, Shadow.”

He ended the call and prepared everything for his venture out into the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i luv Gadget! 
> 
> Next chapter: 
> 
> Sonic found out about Shadow's secret cover and tries to figure out what the chains on his wrist really do to him. Infinite's actions are punished, and the Doctor talks with Shadow about something.
> 
> The group of friends heads out to their secret base by Angel Island. Along the way, Amy learns more of the special bond between the time-travelers and Shadow. Unfortunately, their plans are cut short as they find out that Eggman is attacking the center of the city. 
> 
> There they help the residents and learn of their desire to join the fight along with them...as well as Gadget, who prepares to meet them.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic found out about Shadow's secret cover and tries to figure out what the chains on his wrist really do to him. Infinite's actions are punished, and the Doctor talks with Shadow about something.
> 
> The group of friends heads out to their secret base by Angel Island. Along the way, Amy learns more of the special bond between the time-travelers and Shadow. Unfortunately, their plans are cut short as they find out that Eggman is attacking the center of the city.
> 
> There they help the residents and learn of their desire to join the fight along with them...as well as Gadget, who prepares to meet them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been SO busy, but I managed to finish chapter 6.

“So…I know it’s not the right time to ask this, but why are you guys so close with Shadow?” 

Everybody, in Tail’s workshop, decided to head to the base located near Angel Island to continue their plans. They wanted to keep this information classified and out of Eggman’s ears. So, the group of friends headed out to the base before the night came around. Although they were going together, small groups formed as each one started their own conversation. Knuckles, Rouge, and Tails were ahead of the group. Vector, Espio, and Charmy took the middle section. At the tail’s end of the group, Silver, Amy and her took the back as they remained quiet throughout the whole journey. Well, that’s until Amy asked SIlver and her a question.

“Well, for starters, he has great recommendations for how to take care of my quills. It’s kinda hard to find proper care products in the future.”

Blaze smiled at the thought of how Shadow had taught her best friend how to properly brush his quills. It took a lot of effort and repeating as her silver friend was easily distracted by everything that Shadow had brought over that day as a demonstration on how to do it. 

“Really? Huh, never took him for an expert on beauty products. Now that you’ve mentioned it, can you possibly pass me some of those notes? I know my quills could use a good treatment.”

Blaze’s smile widened as she heard her friend try to let down the pink hedgehog.

“Uhh...actually...I never paid much attention to...what he...said.”

The pink female stopped as she looked at the other hedgehog. Both time-travelers noticed her sudden stop and shared a glance.

“Then how the heck do you have  _ softer _ quills than me! Are you lying to me because there’s no way you just  _ have  _ soft quills…”

Blaze saw as her girlfriend narrowed her eyes at the other one. She had to hold back a laugh as she saw the blushing face of her best friend. This was going to be interesting…

“Uhh….that’s because Blaze jotted down the notes! So you should be asking her for those recommendations since she was also there.”

Amy was taken aback by the sudden outburst. She turned around towards her, and the princess peeked at her friend from over the pink shoulder. She saw as Silver was silently praying for her to not say anything. She smirked, and Silver’s face paled.

“Silver’s correct about me having those notes. I also was there when he demonstrated the process to Silver.  _ However _ , Silver has soft quills because Shadow, secretly, pampers him like a little kid. Shadow takes on the caretaker role for his quills.”

“Blaze!” 

The feline princess saw her friend’s accusing glare while hearing a gasp come from the other hedgehog. It was worth it, she thought.

“No way! Shadow…”

Amy turned around to face the guilty hedgehog, who was attempting to hide his blushing face.

“Pampers you!”

Blaze laughed as Amy tried to get a close look at Silver’s quills while said person tried to escape grabby hands.

“Who pampers who?”

Oops. Unfortunately, Amy had shouted out the last part of that sentence. Now, everyone turned around to face the trio at the back. She knew that Silver’s face couldn’t get any redder, but one look at him told her she was incorrect.

“Shadow pampers Silver!”

Amy took charge and moved forward to tell everyone about the news she just learned. Blaze saw as giggles and laughs erupted from Rouge and the two younger boys. Vector’s face gave him away as wide eyes started to tear up and his loud boisterous laugh gave out. Espio and Knuckles managed to keep a straight face, but the feline could see amusement written all over their eyes. 

Meanwhile, she heard her best friend groan next to her. She knew how much Silver liked it when Shadow would look after him. He would always thank the biohog after each session, and after he left, Silver would tell her about how much fun he had with the broody one. And, she, herself, couldn’t deny it either as she remembers her fair share of activities that Shadow and she would do while Silver was needed elsewhere. She sighed and faced her friend. She didn’t mean any harm, but she knew how much Silver  _ values _ those moments with the older one, especially after hearing the news…

“Silver, I’m sorry. I should not have told Amy about that. I know—”

“Do you think he really hates all of us?”

She remained quiet. She wanted to say that Shadow would  _ never _ hate them. She wanted to say that the dark hedgehog was a great fighter and a great friend. She wanted to remind Silver of all the times those dark ears would listen to their problems. She wanted to remind  _ herself _ of the times Shadow made them happy by doing the smallest of gestures. She wanted to remember Silver’s bright smiles and twinkling eyes whenever he called the ebony an older brother. She knew the crimson-eyed hedgehog took it as a joke, but deep down, she knew it was the  _ truth _ . They might not have known each other from a young age or look-alike in any form, but that didn’t affect the truth that Silver and she believed in. Shadow was and would always be their older brother. 

But why was their older brother fighting with the man that destroyed the homes and lives of many innocents…

“No. I don’t think he  _ hates  _ us...even if he’s not here with us, remember that he’s our brother.”

She saw as a silver-quilled head nodded and glanced at her. She could see hope swim in those golden hues. Hope that she also found in herself from time of fighting and learning along with the ebony agent.

“You’re right. For all we know, he’s on his own ‘Ultimate’ mission to save Sonic. You know how he gets when it comes to saving the people he cares about the most. He does things we don’t always understand, but he  _ does _ something to help.”

Blaze smiled at Silver’s words. He’s right, the princess thought. Shadow always seemed to have the strangest of ways to show he cares about someone. Silver and she knew better than anyone after witnessing the dark hedgehog gift them with trinkets and souvenirs from his missions. Something about mandatory gifts he had to take from the culturist cities that were saved to show gratitude, but Rouge had whispered to her, once, that he took them by his own accord. He really cared about them.

“Especially when it comes to Sonic.”

Both time-travelers’ erupted into giggles at remembering how their brother became a mess after finding out he fell in love with the blue speedster. Blaze continued to giggle as she looked up at the clouds.

_ Whatever you’re doing, just please be careful, brother. _

* * *

  
  


The jackal kneeled in pain as the stone continued to  _ burn _ his chest. He had caused the blue hero pain by his own hands to really see if that agent had changed. In the end, he liked to punish people for what they did to him, however, it seems that he was the one being punished now. He didn’t understand why the Doctor had let the dark hedgehog go that easily when  _ he  _ had proved that the agent still harbored some protection over the hero. That was his job, and he was being punished for following through with it.

“To think you were one of my best soldiers…”

His ears caught the Doctor’s disappointing sigh as he looked on without a trace of mercy for the pain he was causing him. The Doctor should be  _ thanking _ him for what he discovered!

“Doc-to-r-r! I onl-ly follow-ed your...dir-rec-tions...don-n’t y-you se—”

“No, you  _ didn’t _ . I specifically told you to not use the blue hedgehog...and there you went almost  _ killing _ the thing that I can only do so.”

The burning only intensified as the scientist continued degrading him for being careless about  _ his  _ toy. He didn’t care about the young hero, but he didn’t find another way to prove Shadow was lying to them. He decided to give their prisoner another visit without the presence of the Doctor. He wanted to know more about why this  _ thing _ was important to everyone.

_ ~~~~~ _

_ “What do you want? I thought you weren’t going to ‘play’ with me _ —”

_ The hero stopped talking as he saw the masked-jackal walk towards him in slow strides.  _

_ “Hey! I’m talkin’ to y _ —”

_ Hands grabbed the prisoner’s head as the jackal lowered himself to look straight into those emerald eyes. It didn’t take long to cast his ‘spell’ on the younger one as he saw those green eyes become glazed with something akin to vulnerability. With the connection between the hero and him, which was bridged by the cuffs Sonic wore, he peeked into the other’s mind. Then he saw everything. From the hero’s first fight with the Doctor to the moments he spent with a dark agent under a blanket of stars, he knew how to make the hero hurt.  _

_ Letting go of the quilled-head, the jackal stood up once more, towering over the other who started to come out of his enchantment. He was rubbing his eyes when he looked up at him.  _

_ “What did you do!” _

_ Infinite smiled at the little ‘toy’ as he began to worry about what he did to him. He didn’t respond, instead, he walked towards the door to leave the hero, again. _

_ “Hey! Answer me you as—” _

_ “What an interesting life you have, little one. I’ll take pleasure in getting to know you better.” _

_ With that being said, the mercenary took his leave as he heard no response from the hero behind him. Good, he thought, he could some sense some fear, little but still there, in his prey. Now, to use this information against him. A dark chuckle came from sinister lips.  _

_ Infinite spoke into his device. _

_ “Metal. Zavok. Bring the hero to the main room.” _

_ A robotic voice answered. _

_ “Affirmative. The Doctor?” _

_ The jackal took a moment to think. _

_ “Do not disturb him. He already knows of my plans with the blue one.” _

_ ~~~~~ _

He also remembered catching a glimpse of how the hero’s mind had debated with itself about the dark agent turning rogue. He knew, right then, that the Hero of Mobius  _ felt _ something for the other. So, why not use that against them both. He guessed that the feelings had to be recuperated since he saw several of the things both hedgehogs did when they were alone. 

A whimper almost escaped trained lips; Infinite could not show any signs of weakness in front of others. Unfortunately, the Doctor had good ears.

“Ohh...are you going to  _ cry _ now, too? I thought mercenaries didn’t cry. I guess there’s a first time for everything. You know Shadow was just like you when I recruited him...but he  _ never _ cried for mercy. He pushed ahead until those brats ruined it! But, even then, all the others didn’t show themselves as  _ weak bastards like you _ !”

With the burning sensation being  _ fucking _ painful, the anger that was building inside of him was also intense. He had fought for this man! He had lost his squad for this man! He gave him his  _ body _ to use! Everything he did was for the satisfaction of this man.

“F-for-gi-ve me, D-oc-to-r-r!”

He couldn’t throw away their partnership just yet.

“ T-hi-s wi-l-l n-no-t ha-p-pe-n ag-ain-n!”

No, he won’t do this again.

“I s-sw-ea-r-r!”

The burning came to a stop. Then he saw black boots in his sight of vision.

“Wonderful! Please, take this as a lesson, Infinite...don’t make me do it again.”

The jackal gave him a shaky nod. He heard retreating footsteps, a door slides open and close before his rapid beating heart was the only thing that he could hear. 

“Because next time I’ll make sure  _ you _ are the one being punished along with everyone else.”

* * *

  
  
  


“Did you really think those  _ races _ in  _ Apotos  _ meant anything? Or the  _ visits  _ to  _ Holoska _ ? Or the  _ nights _ spent at  _ Emerald Coast _ ?”

Sonic and Shadow would spend more time together, but he knew that what Shadow was saying is wrong. They didn’t race in Apotos; they did it at Emerald Coast. They didn’t spend nights on Emerald Coast but instead at Holoska. Like they made several visits to Apotos. Shadow was saying the right activities and places, but all of them were placed together incorrectly. It’s as if the hedgehog was trying to tell him that something is not fitting together….

The crimson-eyed hedgehog’s next words clarified everything he needed to know what  _ really _ was happening.

“You were out of your  _ mind _ if I ever enjoyed our times together. They were all  _ lies _ to  _ convince  _ you of something that isn’t the  _ truth _ . I was  _ playing along  _ so everyone didn’t  _ notice _ how I  _ planned  _ to take you all out.”

His eyes widened at the realization of what Shadow’s words were implying. Shadow was never on Eggman’s side. Shadow never harmed him. His mind was being played with, and he had his suspicions as to how the jackal was doing it. More importantly, Shadow was there to help him! Shadow doesn’t think he’s useless or a toy. Shadow cares about him.

He also figured out that he couldn’t give away the hedgehog’s cover. He needed to tell the person in front of him that he understands what he’s saying without outright saying it. Sonic took a piece of Shadow’s role-playing.

“ _ I _ cannot  _ believe _ we meant nothing to  _ you _ …”

The crimson eyes stared at his emerald eyes as that’s the only way they can communicate in this hellhole. 

“ _ Good _ to know that  _ you  _ are now  _ informed  _ of my  _ real _ intentions.”

So, with his eyes, he tried to tell his dark counterpart that he believes him and has hope that they’ll get out of this. Sonic still trusts him. 

Shadow packed everything up and left his cell.

Sonic just hopes that next time he doesn’t give up easily when Infinite sneaks up on him again with that trick he used in the main room. Because Shadow and his trust for each other will be the only thing to keep them alive for however long they last here. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


_ 1 year ago… _

_ Shadow approached the two figures that stood outside the Chao garden. The ebony decided to visit the garden with the two time-travelers since he heard that they have never been to one. Shadow found it bothersome that the two younger ones hadn’t visited a beautiful place with some of the most adorable creatures, which he will never admit out loud… _

_ “Hey, Shadow!” _

_ A silver hedgehog raised his hand in the air to wave at him, while a feline cat smiled at him. Approaching the best friend duo, he heard the cat give her a small greeting. He knew something was off with her the moment he saw her close up. She seemed to be downhearted.  _

_ “Hello. How are you two?” _

_ Excited as ever, Silver spoke up first. _

_ “We’re doing good! We’ve been really excited about today since it’s our first time visiting a Chao garden. What about you?” _

_ As Silver talked about how thrilled he was to finally see a Chao, Shadow glanced at the princess, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. What could be worrying her, the broody hedgehog thought. _

_ “Good to hear. Shall we go in?” _

_ “Let’s go!” _

_ Followed by a simple nod. Something important had to be bothering Blaze as she was the one to suggest visiting the garden today. Shadow had to find out what this ‘important’ thing was. He never understood why Rouge was always pestering him, when he was younger, with questions when he’d be hurt or grumpier than usual. But, now, he could understand the sudden need to ask and receive questions when one of the people he cares about gets hurt. He wanted to find out who put the young princess in such a mood, so he could punch them in the face, or worse. However, he needed her to talk first… _

_ “Awww!” _

_ Silver’s squeal brought Shadow out of his thoughts, and the feline as well it seemed as she shook her head. Silver was never one for running, preferring to use his telekinesis, but he swore he saw the hedgehog run faster than the ‘fastest’ thing alive. The reason: a baby Chao was trying to reach out for food from a nearby bush. Shadow couldn’t deny that the scene wasn’t adorable, if anything the struggling of the small creature made you love it more. Yet, a certain gloomy cat didn’t think so.  _

_ “Here, why don’t you try feeding them?” _

_ A small bag was given to the overexcited hedgehog. Silver opened it to find several, small fruits. _

_ “Sure! Wanna do it together, Blaze?” _

_ Before the feline cat responded, Shadow took this as his chance to talk with the pyrokinesis princess. _

_ “Go on ahead. I need to tell Blaze something that Amy asked me to tell her.” _

_ “Is...is it bad?” _

_ The ebony agent was about to assure the younger one that everything was fine, but for the first time since they entered the garden, Blaze spoke up. _

_ “It’s alright, Silver. I’ll catch up with you, but I must hear this first. Amy probably sent a reminder to get her something before I return home.” _

_ Shadow nodded to support Blaze’s theory, but he noticed how the princess’s best friend hesitated to leave her. He figured that Silver also noticed the cat’s lack of enthusiasm. Then the golden eyes glanced at him and received a nod in return. Silver trusted him to figure out what was wrong with the other. Shadow still couldn’t pinpoint why exactly did they put their trust in him so easily. He remembered it took longer for Sonic’s friends to see him in a different light, and he couldn’t blame them. He was a bioweapon on the loose who was willing to believe anything a mad scientist told him, and all because he wanted to enact revenge on innocent people who had nothing to do with Maria’s death. So, he probably wouldn’t trust himself either. But these time-travelers accepted his flaws and went on to befriend him. It made him happy to think that they counted on him. So with that in mind, he turned around to face his feline friend. _

_ “Who was it?” _

_ A questioning gaze was given in return. _

_ “Who was what?” _

_ Shadow narrowed his eyes at the cat. _

_ “Who fucking hurt you?” _

_ “What are you talking about? I thought this was about Amy.” _

_ Shadow sighed as he led them to a nearby bench to sit down. The purple cat followed him to the seat. _

_ “Blaze, I know when you’re upset about something. So tell me, what idiot decided to upset you?” _

_ Blaze rolled her eyes at him.  _

_ “No one did, and I am not upset. I’m just tired that’s all.” _

_ He could see how the time-traveler was avoiding his eyes. She was definitely lying to him, he thought. _

_ “Stop lying.” _

_ A scoff. _

_ “How dare you—” _

_ A gloved hand reached out to grab the feline’s right hand. _

_ “Just talk to me.” _

_ “Nothin—” _

_ He squeezed her hand. _

_ “Please.” _

_ Another sigh, but this time, it was the feline. She finally looked at him. _

_ “Amy.” _

_ He didn’t understand. _

_ “What about her?” _

_ Blaze closed her eyes. _

_ “We...we fought this morning.” _

_ Knowing Blaze and Amy got along well, even before they decided to date, so to hear that they had gotten into a fight was kind of surprising. But then he remembered how the pink hedgehog could be, recalling how she behaved with the blue hero when she was younger. They weren’t even dating. _

_ “What was it about?” _

_ “Remember how Silver and I announced that we would be leaving for a mission soon…” _

_ Shadow nodded.  _

_ “Well, this mission, just like all the others, requires us to travel into the future.” _

_ That’s right. The time-travelers were the only ones that could take on the level of threats that involved a different time period. They would usually take two or three weeks before they came back… _

_ “Does Amy not accept your duty as a fighter?” _

_ Blaze squeezed his hand again and slowly nodded. _

_ “Yeah...she...finds it hard to let go of me.” _

_ Dark ears picked up on the small laugh that came from the princess. _

_ “Well, at least I made you laugh, but we both know that it’s a sarcastic one.” _

_ “I just find it ironic how Amy is having trouble with this. I mean, before we started dating, she encouraged me to continue these adventures. Then we became official partners and…” _

_ “She has a reason to worry now.” _

_ Sharp, cat eyes turned to face the older hedgehog as he spoke up. She waited for him to elaborate. _

_ “Before you were her partner, she had opened up to you about her ‘break up’ with Sonic, right?” _

_ She nodded. _

_ “Well, she opened up to you because she must have seen something in you that made her feel safe. She didn’t have to worry about how you would judge her, which is surprising because you are quite the judgemental person.” _

_ Said ‘judgemental’ person shoved him aside, but even the princess’s strength seemed to lack its usual ferocity.  _

_ “Hey! If I am judgemental, then you must be worse, especially with that grumpy attitude that you carry all the time.” _

_ He shrugged. _

_ “I’ll accept that if you accept to talk with the pink one.” _

_ “Don’t you think I—” _

_ “As if you were in her shoes.” _

_ “What do you mean?” _

_ A dark hand pointed a gloved finger in Silver’s direction. _

_ “I have seen how you look after him, and he always does the same. What you and Amy have is quite similar, but different.” _

_ Blaze looked over to her best friend, who was feeding a baby Chao. Cute babbles answered the thankful helpful hedgehog. _

_ “How so?” _

_ Shadow also shifted his crimson eyes towards the younger hedgehog. _

_ “Before you started dating, Amy didn’t go against your wishes because she was trying to be your friend, not your girlfriend. It must have been hard for her back then, but it was harder for her to take away something that made you smile. You help people, and that was what you did.” _

_ “Dating should not have changed anything. We decided on keeping everything as it always has been.” _

_ He looked at the princess again. _

_ “Yes, it does. Now, she’s in a relationship with you, and it is harder for her to see you leave for those missions. She knows it makes you happy, but it makes her feel scared.” _

_ Silence. _

_ “Of leaving her behind?” _

_ “Of never returning to her.” _

_ Shadow knew how hard it was to see someone you care dearly about to fight for themselves, even if they were always next to him, equally a great fighter. He knew because he worried for Rouge when she took on solo missions, even Omega. Heck, he was always worried when the blue hedgehog and his team would go away for days, not knowing if they were fine. But, if he was being honest, the feeling grew as he got closer to the time-travelers. _

_ “I have fire abilities to defend myself.” _

_ A snort came from his mouth. _

_ “Yeah, and I am also the Ultimate Lifeform, but I am also not invincible.” _

_ A small giggle came from young, female lips, and it made Shadow less grumpy to know that he made her do so. _

_ “Wow, I never thought I would hear you say those words.” _

_ “If it makes you understand how Amy cares about you and only wants to see you again after leaving her for some dangerous mission, then yes, I will say it. I’ll say it over and over until you learn how love is not easy as you think it first was.” _

_ She whipped her head around with widened eyes. _

_ “You...you would do that for me? In front of anyone?” _

_ No hesitance. _

_ “Anyone. Anytime. Anywhere. I promise.” _

_ With a small smile, the feline hugged the ebony agent. _

_ “Thank you, Shadow.” _

_ He returned the hug as a small smile tugged at his lips. _

_ “Now. Shall we help Silver feed the baby Chao?” _

_ She broke the hug and started to get up, but the ebony’s hand still held onto hers. Blaze turned to look at him. _

_ “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you.” _

_ She stared at him for a few moments before a smirk began to form on her thin lips. _

_ “About how you’re great at giving love advice? Are you worried that a certain hero hears about—” _

_ He gave her a hard stare and a crushing squeeze to the princess’s hand for good measure. _

_ “Shut it. I’ll swear I will find you and—” _

_ With ease, the princess yanked her hand out of his tight grip. Well, he thought, what he assumed to be a tight grip. However, he also took this as a good sign as the princess’s usual strength returned. _

_ “I am not scared of you, Shadow the Hedgehog….but I’ll promise to keep this between us. It’s the least I could do after you decided to hear me out.” _

_ After hearing her promise, he nodded once more and started to walk in Silver’s direction. He didn’t see the cat’s smile, but he heard her whisper one last thing to him, thinking her words wouldn’t reach his trained ears. _

_ “Thank you, brother.” _

_ Shadow couldn’t deny how his little family was growing more after getting to know the young time-travelers. He smiled at knowing he has a family, again, after so many years. _

  
  


* * *

  
  


“Doctor?”

He had been waiting for several minutes, and he still hadn’t received an answer from the person standing before him. He had left Sonic’s cell to find Metal waiting for him outside. The robot told him that the Doctor was expecting him in the control room. Shadow was worried the mad scientist had caught onto his plan, as he waited for the man to turn around. 

“Do you like outer space, Shadow?”

The hedgehog was confused by the Doctor’s question, but he answered it.

“I cannot say that I like it or hate it.”

The Doctor turned around from where he faced a small view window that allowed someone to see the dark abyss, with twinkling stars, that was considered outer space.

“I do not blame you, after all, given your history, I think I would also say that as well.”

Shadow couldn't help but shift from left to right as the Doctor continued as if they weren’t in the middle of a war. He seemed so calm, Shadow thought. That itself was a rarity, but given the circumstances, the Doctor must not be worried for he has obtained the one person that he has dedicated to destroying his entire life.

“Why did you send me the video?”

A crimson gaze didn’t deter from the scientist’s glasses. He was being tested...did the jackal convince him of what happened in the room?

“You specifically stated that the blue hero is for you, and only  _ you _ , to ruin.”

He continued to stare at those glasses, barely outlining the pupils of the eyes that hid behind them.

“Yes, I did say that.”

Silence filled the room, but Shadow swore that his racing heart was pounding loud enough in his chest for it to echo in these steel walls of coldness.

“However, you attacked the jackal.”

The ebony agent nodded. He needed to convince Eggman of his role, but he didn’t know what to feed him to take him off his back for the moment…

“What is your  _ reason _ behind that?”

Shadow responded with the first thing that came to his mind.

“Doctor, the jackal doesn’t follow through with his words. I needed him to back off the  _ toy _ or else it would have died. His chaos energy wouldn’t have sufficed to heal the wound penetrated by that blade.”

Eggman gave him no verbal or physical response to his reasoning. Shadow was now sure the man could hear how his heart was racing, probably breaking the sound barrier by itself. 

“You’re right about him. He’s a hassle to deal with, especially when he’s still too  _ inexperienced  _ to handle so much power in his hands.”

“Unlike you, Doctor.”

Said person couldn’t help but give a wide grin at his response. The Doctor seemed to have gotten smarter with who he trusted, but he was still too easy to please, especially when someone complimented his genius mind. Egotistical, Shadow thought. A loud laugh came from the rounded-man.

“I knew you would understand!”

“I understand that  _ you _ are in charge and lead us with your master plans, Doctor.”

Clapping came from the Doctor, and Shadow knew he got through him. To this day, the dark hedgehog did not understand how this man was the grandson of Gerald Robotnik. The older, deceased, man was more humble and cared to help, not hurt, others. He valued the lives of others above his own. Shadow knew of this as he saw the old man try everything to cure his granddaughter, his sister, Maria.

“Now this is what I call a perfect soldier. Unfortunately, there’s only one of you…”

Shadow tilted his head and questioned the Doctor’s words. Again, the man seemed to look into the distance and forget where he was. 

“Doctor?”

A small head shake indicated that he heard the hedgehog, and let the dark agent know that, indeed, the man was thinking of something else.

“You see, Shadow, I have a proposition for you.”

“Proposition?”

The Doctor walked around the control table and moved towards a side of the room. 

“It seems that the jackal would be of little use if he strays off the path that was given to him. He does not value my work or mind, as he does as he wishes. I cannot have the others think they could do so as well…”

He moved across the far wall, slowly taking his steps, as he looked upon the screens that displayed various information.

“You need someone to lead an example.”

The Doctor turned around and snapped his fingers in his direction.

“Once again, you understand me so well. This is why I want to ask you to be my right-hand person through this whole thing.”

Dark ears perked as he heard the man’s words. Right-hand person? With that position, he would be able to have access to everything, and he would have control of the others, including the jackal.

“Infinite?”

A side-hand motion confirmed that the Doctor did not care for the mercenary.

“I’ll deal with him, personally. I need you to follow through with my orders and lead by example. It shouldn't be too hard for someone of your  _ knowledge _ .”

Remembering the memories, filled with anger and hate for an innocent planet, Shadow had followed through with Eggman’s directions, and quite effectively, until Sonic had shown up to ruin his plans. Eggman knew that’s the closest he’s ever been to beating the Hero of Mobius. However, he left him and joined sides with the hero to protect people and mobians, alike.

But with Shadow siding with the crazed-scientist, he knew that he could do it again if the agent delivered with correct results. So was Infinite a puppet in this whole fiasco, Shadow thought.

“I would be honored, Doctor.”

“Good to hear. Now, let’s get down to business…”

The crimson eyes stared at the Doctor’s face. It was hard to believe that before this, the mad genius had not believed him, for the most part, but here he was, inviting him to oversee  _ all _ the plans. This will be easier than he originally thought.

“We will be attacking the center of the city to make those other  _ pests _ run out from their hiding spot.”

He nodded, keeping track of everything to tell his source later.

* * *

  
  
  


“Damn it!”

Sonic gave up on trying to take off the chains, more like inhibitors, if he took a closer look at them. Similar to Shadow’s. He sighed. Not much time has passed since he learned of what the ebony agent was really up to. He was happy to know that his counterpart wasn’t actually on Eggman’s side. He was there to help him…

  
  


_ Or it could all be a front to make you think you could trust him. _

  
  


He clenched his jaw. Apart from being easily hurt and manipulated, his negative emotions seemed to come to the surface of his mind. He tried to think positively, but nothing stopped those thoughts from wiggling into everything. He knew that everything had to connect to the things around his wrists and ankles. Hence, he was trying to destroy said things before he…

Pushing those memories down as much as possible, Sonic focused on the inhibitor chains and how to destroy them. He should at least try something; it would also speed up the process for Shadow helping him escape.

  
  


_ Oh, silly! Don’t you see, he’s waiting for you to be at your weakest… _

  
  


Don’t listen to it. Sonic looked at the chains and thought of what they could be made out of...

  
  


_ So he could attack you the moment he smells that fear… _

  
  


Push it away. He knew the stone had some weird connection to it, which would explain the recent events…

  
  


_ To tear you apart limb by limb… _

  
  


Push harder. The hero tried to pull at the chains, again. Mostly to occupy his mind…

  
  


_ Rip out every organ… _

  
  


Ignore it. With no results, the blue demon tried to remember what the stone could do. He recalled the portals that the jackal created and the weird spell thing from before… 

  
  


_ And spill your blood in front of the whole world to see… _

  
  


Don’t. Sonic also remembered how Infinite was able to mop the floor with him...to hurt him...make him feel so  _ weak _ ...just in the matter of minutes…

  
  


_ That you were useless… _

  
  


Leave me alone! He didn’t notice that he started to breathe harder…

  
  


_ Worthless… _

  
  


Stop lying! He was seeing white…

  
  


_ Powerless against the person you fell in lo— _

  
  


Crack!

He flinched at the sound. Did he break something? He touched all over his bruised up body, but he couldn’t see anything that was out of place. That’s until he saw his right wrist.

“What the…”

The right chain had a small crack on it. It was so small, barely noticeable, but a crack nonetheless. He stared at it for a moment longer before he stopped breathing. His negative emotions were  _ stronger _ than whatever the chains were made out of. He could get out of his binds, but the problem outweighed the solution by a  _ lot _ . Sonic couldn’t let his emotions get the best of him...he would break into his dark form...he would be blind to his actions...he would hurt _ — _

No. There has to be another way out of these things, he thought. Without using his dark chaos energy. He swore he would never give in to those thoughts...that he would resist the dark voice’s words in his mind. 

  
  


_ You really think you won’t give in to me… _

  
  


With all his effort, he tried to block off the inner voice, to quit listening to the pestering of that sinister side that he stays away from…

  
  


_ Again, Hero. _

  
  


He was going to need more than just his effort.

* * *

  
  
  


“He took you to a Chao garden?”

The two time-travelers nodded. It seemed that the dark hedgehog had made it his mission that the two would learn everything there was in their present time. Amy giggled as she tried to imagine said hedgehog feeding a baby Chao. 

“It was really fun!”

Her girlfriend nodded at Silver’s exclamation.

“I guess he really cares about you two…”

Silver smiled and the princess nodded once again. Then silence. Amy, now, understood why the two had gotten so defensive when they heard that Shadow was still following the wrong path…

“Plus, his grumpiness is kind of cute, if you think about it.”

If the hand at her waist didn’t catch her, Amy would have probably stumbled to only fall onto her face. She must have misheard the silver hedgehog, right?

“What did you say?”

Silver faced the girls and repeated what he said.

“His grumpiness. It’s cute.”

What in the world, Amy thought. Yet, the pink hedgehog was not the only one shocked.

“Do...do you like Shadow, Silver?”

Amy saw the younger one frown at the feline princess’s question.

“Of course! He’s a great friend. Why wouldn’t I _ —” _

“I think what Blaze is trying to say is...if you like  _ like _ Shadow?”

More frowning, and just as he was about to respond, Amy saw how the blushing face returned to the silver cheeks. She giggled at the reaction.

“No! Not like  _ that _ ! I meant as a friend. Chaos! He’s like a brother to me! Why would you even suggest that!”

Laughter erupted from the two females as they saw how upset the hedgehog was at finding this whole conversation funny. Tears started to well up in jade eyes.

“Well, you said his grumpiness was cute! How else were we supposed to interpret that!”

Groaning joined the hiccuping giggles of the pink hedgehog.

“Blaze’s right, Silver. But, we’re sorry! I won’t _ —” _

“Shit!” 

The pink female turned around to find the culprit that spoke the word.

“Hey! Watch your language, there are kids here!”

“Eggman’s attacking the city!”

Amy knew she didn’t have any right to say it but…

“Shit.”

Blaze started to move towards the female bat.

“How many civilians?”

Rouge looked over the information G.U.N. was sending her, trying to calculate how many lives were in danger. Amy hoped that they weren’t many. 

“About a thousand.”

Amy knew they had to switch plans. So much for heading to the base, she thought.

“We need to split up and cover as much ground.”

Knuckles turned to her.

“How will we get there?”

Great, another thing to worry about. At the corner of her eyes, she saw Rouge smirk at them. Right, she’s a government agent. She pointed at Rouge.

“Rouge!”

The bat smiled at her.

“Already on its way.”

“I’m so glad you’re with us right now. Your connection to G.U.N. is always helpful, even if we always didn’t see eye to eye with them…”

The bat closed her eyes and nodded, again, in her direction. Amy also knew that Team Dark didn’t always agree with the organization’s methods to extract problems from the situation. However, even she knew that the military’s organization was one of their only ways to keep tabs on Eggman. Well, until they established themselves and got the team they planned on forming before the Doctor decided to make his move. Was he trying to input his authority in these places?

“Rouge?”

Amy heard Tails approach the female agent, looking down at his tablet, the Miles Electric. Rouge hummed to let the kit know that she was listening.

“Who was the outside source that had sent G.U.N. the tip from Mystic Jungle?”

Amy quickly remembered that Rouge had mentioned that Shadow was sent on the mission, in the beginning, because someone claimed to have seen something.

“Well, as I said before, it’s an anonymous hotline. No one has to explicitly state who they are.”

Amy narrowed her eyes, as she believed that the  _ anonymous _ person may have known something that catapulted this whole thing to follow as it did. It would make sense since they remain unknown…

“How do you know if what the source says is correct or reliable?”

Rouge moved her gaze towards the sky and put a pink-polished nail to her chin. 

“Well, we usually sent in drones and agents to do a watch for that kind of thing. It all depends on how large the threat is like Shadow and Omega were sent in since drones picked up a weird energy wave from the jungle...why are you asking?”

“Energy wave?”

Rouge nodded and opened her communicator, clicking some things as she continued to explain the situation.

“Yes. We could not figure out what exactly it was since we never have seen readings like that…”

Rouge paused in her movements and looked up at them.

“But I have a good feeling it has to do with that  _ ally _ of Eggman that captured Big Blue.”

Amy sighed as a headache started to butt its way into her head. There were several pieces to the puzzle that’s Eggman’s plan, but they can’t seem to put them together. They were missing something…

A helicopter’s slashing wings brought her out of her thinking as she saw the thing land nearby. Their transportation was finally here. Rouge started to walk towards the helicopter while the rest followed behind her. Being near the helicopter, Rouge signaled for them to wait behind while she  _ talked _ , air quotes had been used by the bat, to them.

Two soldiers jumped down to greet the female bat. Amy noticed how Rouge pointed in their direction. Both soldiers glanced at them and nodded to whatever the treasure-hunter was saying. Unfortunately, it looked as if they wouldn’t be able to leave for the city as one soldier shook his head, but Rouge’s mouth opened once more before the soldiers shared a look. Amy couldn’t see it, but she knew the female had a smirk placed on her lips. She still wonders how the agent did it.

“Alright! Everybody, let’s go visit the Doctor!”

Amy and the others approached the transport and climbed into it. 

“Agent Rouge?”

Amy glanced at one of the soldiers, who was sitting with their back to the pilot’s seats, facing the agent that seated herself next to the pink hedgehog. 

“Yes?”

“We have located Sonic the Hedgehog.”

She gasped at the news...they found their friend?

* * *

  
  
  


_ Glancing from bind to bind, the red wolf tried to find the correct book. He didn’t feel like being in the bookstore today, even if there were only three people, including the store owner, inside. He walked towards another section of books when he heard the jingle of the front door, signaling that another customer had arrived. In the back of his mind, he noted to look for mystery novels another time, remembering that he should also take a break from his work. He sighed as he continued to look for the correct book. He was too busy checking to find said book that he didn’t notice that someone was in the same corridor as him. More specifically behind him. He was going to turn to face the next section to find his book, but he bumped into someone that was standing there. _

_ “Oof!” _

_ His glasses fell and kneeled to pick them up as he apologized to the other individual. _

_ “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you...which I still can’t...where are those glasses!” _

_ Someone grabbed his shoulder, and he tensed as he thought the other person must have been very upset to have someone bump into them. The wolf was about ready to apologize again when he was being pulled up, but instead of receiving a punch or slap, something was placed in his hands. His glasses. He was momentarily shocked, but he quickly put them on. _

_ “Tha-ank-k y-you…” _

_ He stuttered out his thanks, but he didn’t realize who he was talking to until orange eyes finally looked up at the person. _

_ “Just watch where you’re going.” _

_ A deep voice spoke from dark lips that were placed upon an equally dark form. He froze at the hedgehog that stood in front of him. Shadow the Hedgehog to be exact! _

_ “U-uh yeah-h...I-I’ll be-e mo-ore care-f-ful…” _

_ The hedgehog glanced at him and then peered over his shoulders. A small gasp escaped his lips as the other’s sudden movement scared him. The infamous dark hero was reaching out his hand to pick a book from the section that he was in front of. He moved to the side to avoid being more of a bother to the other, said to be rude, hero. Shadow had plucked a mystery novel; the same one that he had seen and remembered to check out on his next visit. _

_ “I a-also w-wanted-d to r-read-d th-hat one…” _

_ He blushed at how he kept stuttering out. Why did he even keep talking to him! _

_ Shadow raised an eyebrow at him, seeming to ask the same question. _

_ “I grabbed it first.” _

_ He was confused as to why the hedgehog was telling him this until he realized that the hero must have thought that he wanted the book. _

_ “Oh! N-no! I-I m-mean-t-t to s-say t-th-at i-t s-se-ems l-like a good-d b-book…” _

_ “Why are you stuttering?” _

_ He blushed harder if he even could. _

_ “I’m-m s-s-orr-y! It’s-s jus-st tha-t yo-u are y-ou-u—” _

_ “Shadow.” _

_ He nodded at the hedgehog’s response. He heard him sigh and felt bad for interrupting his day, whatever his day was like. Why would he be here, in a bookstore, of all places? It’s at the far edge of the city… _

_ “I was hoping no one recognized me.” _

_ Thinking about the other’s reasons to be here, he glanced at Shadow as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Did he not want to be seen? _

_ “You-u l-loo-k t-tired…” _

_ Shadow raised his crimson eyes to him and narrowed them. Maybe he really should shut up… _

_ “I am.” _

_ He cringed at how the older hero emphasized his words, expecting to be left alone, but he had other plans… _

_ “C-cof-ff-ee?” _

_ “What?” _

_ He opened his bag to find his gray thermos cup nestled between other things. He never left the house without his cup of coffee. He took it and handed it to the grumpy hedgehog, who definitely needed to drink some. _

_ However, he noticed the other’s stand-offish mood, and the trained-eyes of the well-known hedgehog looked between him and the cup. It took him a moment, but he realized that the other was unsure of his actions. For all the other knows, he could be a secret stalker, pretending to be a shy book nerd, who wants to make multiple genetic copies of his DNA, so he turns to an innocent act of offering his thermos for a drink, only to take the sample… _

_ He needed to stop watching those crime and killer shows… _

_ A hand startled him as it reached for the thermos cup, coming into contact with the hedgehog’s lips. He stood there watching to see the other’s reaction. He had always made his own coffee, not finding a store that offered the right taste, and for the first time, someone else but himself was going to taste it. What if he hates it? What if he has different tastes? What even tastes does the other have? _

_ “Where did you get it?” _

_ Thoughts erased by the other’s question, he stuttered out an answer. _

_ “I-I m-make m-my own-n…” _

_ Crimson eyes stared at him for a few more seconds before the thermos cup was returned to its owner. He looked down at his cup, thinking the other didn’t like it. But the hedgehog’s next words corrected him. _

_ “Not bad.” _

_ His orange eyes quickly returned their view to Shadow, trying to figure out if what he said was real or his imagination.  _

_ “What’s your name?” _

_ Like an automatic machine, he answered, without thinking if the other wanted to know only to use it to find him or sent out— _

_ “G-gadget-t.” _

_ Gadget really should stop his mind from building up these scenarios that cannot really happen...unless… _

_ “Well, you have good taste, Gadget.” _

_ He knew he could be mistaken for a tomato, right now. _

_ “T-than-k y-you.” _

_ Shadow nodded and glanced down at the small device on his right wrist. A watch? No, it was too big...maybe a communicator of some sort, recalling that the hedgehog worked for G.U.N. _

_ “I need to go.” _

_ Gadget quickly nodded and stepped to the side, letting the other pass by. He never would think that Shadow the Hedgehog would have a conversation with him, albeit a small one, but still, it was something unbelievable. The hedgehog passed by him, taking the novel in his hand. Well, he could always try to look it up...what was the title… _

_ “Gadget?” _

_ He turned around to find Shadow was still there, at the end of the corridor. _

_ “Y-yes?” _

_ “I’ll let you borrow it.” _

_ Raising the novel for him to look at, Shadow stood watching him for a few more seconds, before he turned the corner and disappeared to purchase the novel. However, he failed to see the tiny smirk that the other one had on his lips, as he kept replaying the last words of the conversation. _

_ Borrow it? _

_ Right then and there, he figured that he was going to see more of Shadow the Hedgehog in a bookstore, located on the edge of the city, and for some weird reason, he felt that this was something he didn’t want to share with anyone. _

_ More importantly, Shadow liked his coffee. His coffee! _

_ He continued looking for his book with a blush on his face. _

  
  


* * *

  
  


Running from street to street, Gadget figured out that he needed to remain close in the center to find the other heroes that were predicted to arrive soon. He huffed as he kept jumping over bags and other items left behind by the residents. Just as Shadow had told him, he headed for the center, in the early morning, and kept a low profile. He needed to stay within the whole chaotic attack to be rescued by certain mobians. That’s how the plan was to be done.

He remembered how Shadow and he went over the details over and over, from him calling G.U.N. 's administration to report suspicious behavior in Mystic Jungle to be the one to join whatever group comes from the heroes’ efforts. And if things get messy towards the end, he would be the one to rescue the blue hero. Gadget had argued with Shadow about that specific part of the plan… 

The ebony agent had said that Sonic’s friends will plan out a rescue mission for the hero once they know of his location. Gadget’s mission was to include himself in that mission, one way or another, but he had to make sure it was like that. However, he thought if the others even knew of where the hero was. Gadget learned that Shadow and Sonic were in space, but he couldn’t let anyone know...it all had to be figured out by the heroes themselves. He asked Shadow why. The hedgehog had mentioned that their mission didn’t just consist of rescuing Sonic, but it also had to do with destroying the stone. For that to happen, Shadow needed all the time possible to learn of the stone’s strengths and weaknesses. With being alone in that part, it was hard to find this information without being caught by the Doctor’s helpers. 

“Hurry! Over here!”

Gadget spotted a pink hedgehog and twin-tailed fox helping civilians find safety, as many robots flew over, targeting the group. Talking about robots, he almost got lasered by one of their beams as he switched from the sidewalk to the main road. He needed to get rescued by those two. Unfortunately, he tripped over a wire that must have fallen from the street’s lamppost, and he fell to the ground with a grunt. He heard the clinking of metal feet approach him from behind. Damn it, he thought. To remain ordinary, he couldn't carry weapons on himself for fear that he would be questioned upon being rescued. A swoosh reminded him that these robots  _ did  _ carry weapons. He faced the machine behind him only to find that a metal hand was pointed in his direction, slowly a beam was preparing to lash out at him from the center of it.

“Oh no, you don’t!”

The metal robot’s destination was cut short by a big, piko hammer. Amy Rose’s hammer.

“Are you alright?”

A young kit, about eight or nine, kneeled and tried to set him up. Miles Prower.

Sonic’s friends. He was rescued by them as to how it was planned. Even if he almost faced his end, he still managed to carry out the directions.

He sat up and looked at the kit.

“Than-k y-you!”

Even if he had gotten out of the habit of stuttering, he needed to act innocent and surprised. He was about to die after all. 

“No problem!”

Amy Rose approached them as Miles helped him get up on his feet. The kit was pretty strong for a young one.

“That was the last of them, Tails. We should head back with the others.”

Miles, or Tails, looked at the pink heroine and nodded. 

“Come on, we can help you find safety!”

Gadget smiled at the young kid and the pink hedgehog’s comment. He nodded as he held his hands together to show how thankful he was for their help. In the end, even if he was playing a part, he truly admired them and was  _ actually _ thankful for helping him. Which is why it hurt to know that he was going to be lying straight to their faces…

He was placed in the middle of the other two fighters as they ran towards another part of the city. Down some streets and buildings, they came to a stop at a stop under a bridge that was large enough to cover the large mass of people that took shelter under it. He saw a red echidna, a white bat, and the infamous Team Chaotix overlooking everyone that was there. 

Another group of mobians ran past him under the bridge as Gadget turned around to face a silver hedgehog and purple cat walking over towards them.

“You made it safely!”

Amy Rose ran towards the purple cat. Blaze, he quickly thought. Both shared a hug, now remembering that Shadow had said that they both were in a relationship. He also remembered how crimson eyes turned soft at the name of the purple cat. She must be a dear friend to him.

“Alright! Everybody listen up!”

Knuckles the Echidna raised his voice to capture everyone’s attention.

“We know that this may not be something out of the ordinary, but these robots were sent by Doctor Eggman. Unfortunately, there has been an unforeseen event…”

Whispering rose from the crowd of Mobians. Gadget knew where this was heading.

“Sonic has been captured and hidden from us by the same person.”

This time shouting and frantic movements were the crowd’s reaction to hearing that their hero was not able to help them this time.

“Everybody needs to calm down!”

It didn’t work.

“Hey! Calm down! It’s alright! We will be taking care _ — _ ”

Gadget saw everyone freaking out, but a loud voice did the job to shut everyone up.

“He said to fucking calm down!”

Gadget knew that voice. It belonged to Shadow’s teammate and closest friend, Rouge the Bat. The female agent managed to get everyone’s attention as she must have experienced due to her job as a top agent in a military organization.

“Oh Rouge…”

His red ears picked up the small sigh that Amy had released as she shook her head at the bat’s take on capturing the attention of the crowd. He couldn’t help but smile at knowing that the female agent was an expert at stealing the show, according to Shadow’s words.

“Like I was saying, we have everything under control. We need you all to find cover as we deal with this situation.”

Someone from the crowd yelled at Knuckles.

“Do you expect us to be fine with this! We don’t know what’s going on!”

Others joined in.

“Yeah!”

“What do you plan on doing!”

“We don’t even have our hero here!”

“Yeah!”

“We’re not safe! Nowhere is safe!”

The echidna crossed his arms across his chest and nodded at the bat that was standing next to him.

“Everyone shut up! Let the man speak!”

Gadget knew that these people were worried, but it stressed out the heroes as their behavior made everything more complicated.

“We will direct you to safe locations, and as for Sonic...we have his location.”

What?

“You found him?”

Gadget saw as the echidna slowly nodded to the mobian’s question.

“Yes.”

His brain was racing as he learned that the group of friends had caught up with Eggman’s plans, which was great for rescuing Sonic, but Shadow had needed more time to find things about the stone…

“We will be heading there soon as we gather other allies to help with the rescue mission. We just need you to calm down and find shelter while we coordinate a plan. Rouge will be speaking to all of you about finding said shelter.”

Gadget saw as the echidna nodded at Rouge to take his place. She began talking about the nearest base that G.U.N. will be open for people to find refuge in. He sighed as he figured out that he wasn’t going to get much done if he stood and listened to how they were going to get to said base without being caught. Right now, he needed to get closer to the group of friends. Fortunately for him, a group of mobians had approached the heroes in the back. He listened as someone spoke up.

“U-uh, we w-were wonder-ring if we c-could be of any-y h-help?”

Amy asked the female mobian that spoke up to elaborate.

“What do you mean?”

“We want to help you...all of you.”

Another mobian spoke up instead of the first one.

“As in rescuing Sonic?”

He saw as several nods were given as a response. He saw this take the pink heroine back as the mobians offered their help in saving the Hero of Mobius. 

“It’s a dangerous mission...are you all sure?”

“Not all of us expect you to do this alone. Some of us are willing to fight against the Doctor if it means helping Sonic and all of you. We are sure.”

Bingo! Gadget found his ticket to join the team.

“Well, in that case, you should come with us to our base!”

Amy and the rest of the group of mobians talked over how they would be of help in this whole problem. He turned to the young fox and saw him smile at the mobians that are brave enough to fight back for their home and hero. He approached the kit.

“U-um, I kno-ow I-I j-just met y-you, b-but I-I w-was hop-ping to b-be of m-more help-p…”

Tails turned to him as he stuttered out the first pieces to help him join the group. He hoped that he could convince the younger genius that he wanted to give in his own part of the help.

Tails smiled at him and nodded.

“Of course! Any help is welcomed...uh...I didn’t catch your name.”

A small smile was returned by his lips, and he shifted his glasses up his nose.

“It’s-s G-gadget.”

A shake sealed this part of the mission.

“Welcome to the team, Gadget.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> So, the team finally creates the Resistance that hopes to free Sonic. Gadget gets closer with Tails and Amy, in hopes of having more information on the plans.
> 
> Eggman sends out his minions to cause destruction all over the planet while he has a solo talk with the blue hero. There's a reason why Eggman wants to drive Sonic to his darkest state, his dark form. 
> 
> And of course, there's more exploring with Shadow and others' relationships!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, the team finally creates the Resistance that hopes to free Sonic. Gadget gets closer with Tails and Amy, in hopes of having more information on the plans.
> 
> Eggman sends out his minions to cause destruction all over the planet while he has a solo talk with the blue hero. There's a reason why Eggman wants to drive Sonic to his darkest state, his dark form.
> 
> And of course, there's more exploring with Shadow and others' relationships!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being so patient! I keep receiving comments from you guys about the story, and I'm so glad you all like it! With that being said, I cannot say how sorry I am for the slow updates...finals are coming up. College is still hard, even in these times we are in. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. There are _important _details in this one that talks about some things that will be popping a lot more as the story develops. I would also like to say that humans do live on Mobius, and ARK events took place in Mobius. Hope that clears up some things for the story.__
> 
> _  
> _Remember, this is my take on Sonic Forces, but I also changed some things about their world. I promise it will all make sense as we learn more about the history of the characters._  
> _

“Remember, if you see one of those _brats_ , eliminate them at all costs! Without their precious hero, they should not be a problem, but I am not taking my chances…”

“Affirmative, Doctor.”

The Doctor’s eyes landed on the robotic hedgehog that confirmed, verbally, the group’s understanding of their objectives. It was nearing the end of the day, and the Doctor believed this was the best time to take action. Earlier, he had sent a horde of his other minions into the city’s center. He was actually quite upset that those robots could not have finished Sonic’s group of friends, but it was all just a distraction. He had something far _greater_ planned for the entirety of this planet. Causing havoc and destruction was just something entertaining to see as he ruined the home that belonged to the Hero of Mobius. Not to mention, he had leaked out something that would work in his favor.

Every one of his allies was lined up in front of him, taking in the orders. Well, all except one. The jackal did not appear before him, and he suspected that the mercenary was still getting over the punishment he put him through. However, that did not matter since he wasn’t in charge. Shadow stood straight at the end of the line with his arms crossed over his chest. Neutral expression plastered on the hedgehog’s face, only twitching ears being the indication that he was hearing him. He walked towards the dark hedgehog until he stood in front of him. 

“Report everything and anything to Shadow.”

He could see some shifting from the others in his peripheral vision. He couldn’t blame them for he knew that they had thought Infinite would be the one at the head of this attack. After all, he had it made it look as if Infinite was indeed the unstoppable one…

“Doctor?”

A robotic voice questioned him, once again. 

“Yes?”

He switched his gaze from the hedgehog in front to the blue metal one on the other side of the line.

“What about orders, sir?”

The Doctor knew what Metal was trying to say, the robot was not simple-minded. It was not a difficult question, but he loved leaving the audience to wait in suspense, even if these individuals couldn’t think much for themselves… 

“I trust Shadow to know what he’s doing.”

A few seconds of silence passed before Metal answered once more.

“Understood.”

Looking back at his right hand, he felt something wash over him while he looked at crimson eyes. Nostalgia. Memories of similar events of Shadow following his orders during another time. A time when he stumbled across the dark hedgehog’s existence for the first time. A time when he encountered a creature with unimaginable power. A time when he threatened a whole planet. A time when he had been led to a great weapon of destruction. A time when the hedgehog, in front of him, was capable of doing whatever means to do as his cousin’s promise dictated. Shadow had been the only one to prove fruitful in destroying Sonic, but the events that followed the Ark gave away. Shadow had no longer a reason to fight the heroic hedgehog until now.

“Remember to contact me before you attack your assigned location, Shadow. There’s something I would like to do before watching that place fall apart.”

The biohog nodded. Eggman turned around to move towards his seat at the front of the room. With a small hand gesture, the group of villains took their leave, each to an assigned location to destroy before nightfall. If everything continued to fall into place, he would be ready to rule every piece of land on this planet by the end of the month.

But first, he needed to talk with a certain speedster. Aside from building his empire, he had plans for that blue hedgehog. He needed to make sure the hero reached his breaking point to enact another plan he had…

“Hmph. That jackal better get his act together because he has work that needs to be done.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


_“So you roast the beans for a longer time?”_

_Gadget nodded at the dark hedgehog’s question. It had been one week since he encountered the dark hero in the middle of his book search this month. It had been an awkward situation, but in the end, he ended up having the hedgehog become a sort of book companion. He wasn’t surprised to hear that Shadow enjoyed his own fair share of books, and he should have known that a faraway bookstore, from the city’s heavily populated area, was also something he would look for. He couldn’t help but agree with him on that. Crowded places and large groups of people was something he tried to avoid as well. It was one of the reasons why he decided to live out of the city. His home lies near the edge of the forest some minutes from the city’s outskirts. He would wear roller skates as a form of transportation. He never worried about others getting lost on their way to his home because, well, he didn’t have many to share his time with. His parents lived across Mobius, and he wasn’t one much to socialize with other mobians. But here he was talking with someone. Someone that granted to be well-known for his chaos powers and strong suit to fight off ‘end-of-the-world-’ problems._

_“Y-yeah. I think it h-helps give a s-stronger taste.”_

_A dark eyebrow raised at his answer. Was he getting red in the face again?_

_“You don’t stutter as much anymore. If I knew you better, I would think you aren’t afraid of me as much compared to the first time we met.”_

_If he wasn’t blushing before, he sure was now._

_“I-I mean y-you are n-not l-like what every one s-says…”_

_A sigh came from the hedgehog sitting next to him. Gadget decided to stay in the bookstore for a longer time, even taking a seat in one of the soft-cushioned chairs at a corner. He was hoping to see Shadow soon enough, and it was until today that the dark hedgehog had entered the store to approach him since last time. He sat on the chair next to him, sliding a book across the table. The mystery novel that captured his orange eyes. In return, he slid a gray thermos cup across. He didn’t receive a ‘thank you’ but the look in the crimson eyes spoke of silent gratitude. Gadget returned to his book, but he ended up staring up at the person in front of him more times than he could count. He was still surprised to see Shadow sharing his time with someone like him. He was certain that the dark hero had others that were more worthy of his time…_

_“Compared to the general population, you are one of the few that will think so. Not many appreciate my presence around them, and I believe you know why.”_

_He nodded as he knew the reason why most people were skeptical of the dark hero. He had fought for the Doctor, and he caused havoc in Station Square. Not to mention that he was the reason why a high-security prison was destroyed…_

_But if it wasn’t for Shadow, there would still be secrets held from the public by agencies that worked their way to hide their plans from the politicians and such. G.U.N. had also changed its methods of handling situations similar to the Ark. In the end, the striped hedgehog was an ally ready to fight for this planet’s safety and everyone on it, just like another heroic hedgehog._

_“I-I don’t c-care about-t that-t…”_

_A crimson gaze narrowed its eyes at him as if to find his true intentions. However, Gadget was saying the truth. He didn’t care much for what everyone else thought. He only cared about learning the facts. After all, his work was based on finding the truth behind unknown phenomenons and scientific discoveries. The honest truth. He only cared to learn about Shadow’s truth, not the world’s twist on it. The hedgehog spoke up._

_“You’re not the only one that has told me that.”_

_Orange eyes blinked at the hedgehog._

_“The truth is what matters.”_

_The hedgehog’s eyes widened at his words. Did he say something wrong….?_

_“Did you just say something without stuttering? To me?”_

_He frowned until he realized that he did, indeed, say a full sentence without stuttering. He couldn’t help but let a small giggle slip from his lips. The dark hedgehog shook his head at his small laughter, but he didn’t care. Shadow was still sitting across from him so that must mean that he liked his company._

_“Hmph...just read the book. I would like to have someone to share a conversation with about it.”_

_Gadget smiled and grabbed the mystery novel. His orange eyes looked down at the first page of the novel, being grateful that he was a quick reader. He knew that all speedy hedgehogs were impatient, even broody ones. He looked up once more, seeing Shadow take another book from a nearby pile to read, before focusing on his book._

_However, he failed to see the small smile on the dark lips, once again._

* * *

  
  


After discussing plans under the bridge, all the mobians were divided between two groups: fighters and refugees. Several of them wanted to join this fight against the mad scientist and restore their home. Gadget was part of this group. He had approached the young genius for this particular part of the plan. They had shared some conversation between the two before they headed to the base. After sharing ideas on some possible weapons for others to use, they formed a connection that Gadget only hoped to strengthen. 

“Hey, Gadget!”

He stopped his trekking and turned around to see the golden fox approach him. He smiled at the younger child and waved to let him know he heard him.

“How are you doing so far?”

The red wolf smiled at the caring side of the kit. He didn’t like how he was lying to a child. He needed to remember that he was doing this to help save his older brother.

“G-good!”

He saw a smile bloom on the fox’s face.

“That’s good to hear! I just wanted to let you know that we are almost there.”

“The base?”

“Yup!”

Angel Island. He would have never known that the heroes had their own base on such an island. Floating island to be exact. 

“U-uh...h-how do w-we get-t u-up there?”

He saw a questioning look appear on Miles’ face. Did they forget that they have to find a way to get up to the floating island…

“Oh! Don’t worry, Knuckles has that covered.”

Knuckles? It appeared that the echidna was taking charge of the group. He knew the red mobian was a strong and quick one, keeping up with Sonic was not an easy feat. However, he also knew that the echidna had a bad temper and could sometimes be ignorant, especially with things he didn’t like. He internally sighed at the work he needed to do to get on his good side, but right now…

“H-how are y-you feel-ling?”

The fox was silent, and he thought that he hadn’t heard him until he answered.

“It’s...hard to accept that S-sonic could also be defeated...I always thought that it was impossible. I guess I’m just scared to know that he’s somewhere without me. I have always been by his side and ready to help…” 

Gadget knew that the two brothers had grown up together from a young age. They were always seen together, fighting off the bad guys. The news would show clips of the two happy faces when they finished off the latest invention of the Doctor. Even in public outings, they would always hang out together, laughing at something that the camera managed to capture. Definitely brothers. Poor kid, he thought.

“But if I know anything is that I have to stay strong. Sonic would always remind me that staying positive in any situation is often the boost we need to figure out the solution. To still have hope even in the worst case scenarios.”

He nodded along with the child’s words. Of course, Sonic had always managed to attach a bit of optimism into everyone’s lives, including the most broody ones of them all. The child’s words only proved how the blue hero thought that what helped them through everything was everyone’s hope. Hope that stood as a sort of guiding path to light them in their darkest days of battles. 

“Especially now since they have a location on Sonic!”

He tensed up at remembering that there was a possible lead to the heroic hedgehog’s location. He still couldn’t figure out how they got to the answer so quickly. More importantly, _who_ had gotten the lead so quickly. 

“W-where is-s he?”

He would need to contact Shadow soon to let him know that they found their location. They couldn’t afford for the team to arrive before getting information on that stone. He had to come up with something to delay the team and quickly. But first, he needed to make sure to find out who got their hands on the lead…

“Well, G.U.N. received intel—”

“Hey, Tails!”

Damn it. A pink hedgehog had interrupted them as she walked towards them. Green jade eyes glanced at him and received a smile. He returned a smile of his own to Amy Rose. He admired her greatly; she was clever and spirited. One of the few that could actually take Sonic down if she really wanted to, especially with her hammer. Of course, the blue hero did not mention those times when she _almost_ did it, something about giving her an opportunity, but Shadow had scoffed when he told him this. No matter how much he admired her, he was still upset that she interrupted his conversation with the younger one. He needed that information! 

“Amy! Is something wrong?”

The pink female shook her head and waved off the kit’s worries.

“No, I just wanted to ask you about your lab in Mystic Ruins.”

“Sure, what about it?”

The red wolf might need that leak information, but this was also equally as important. A lab in Mystic Ruins? Did Shadow know about this? He mentally noted down the place for his future conversation with the dark hedgehog.

“Can you work with what you got there?”

He saw the fox sigh.

“Well, I can, but I would still need to gather some things from my workshop. I haven’t used that lab in a _long_ time…”

Amy nodded at Miles’ statement.

“Alright, I guess I can tell Knuckles that we need to head back to the workshop for your tools.”

The pink fighter was about to leave, but the fox stopped her.

“Wait!”

Gadget saw the female stop and look over at them.

“Yeah?”

He glanced at the genius next to him, and the fox gestured at him with a smile.

“Can Gadget come?”

Amy tilted her head to the side, thinking about it for a moment, before answering.

“Sure, why not.”

“Thanks, Amy!”

“No problem!”

The wolf waved his goodbye to the running female, seeing that she was gone, he turned his attention to the golden fox. 

“W-why do y-you w-want me-e to c-come?”

“If it’s not a problem with you, I could really use a friend through this whole thing, especially with building new tools…”

He smiled at the young child.

“F-friend?”

“Would you like to be?”

He knew this was part of the act, but deep down, he liked the idea of befriending the younger one. They shared so many similarities...but their friendship would be based on lies. Would the kit remain so even if he explained the whole mission to him after everything’s done?

“Y-yeah. Friends-s.”

He held out a hand for the kit to shake.

“Friends.”

He only hoped that he was still deserving of this friendship after the fox learns of his intentions with him and his friends.

  
  


* * *

  
  


He came to a stop in front of the cell’s door. Although he took pleasure in knowing that he finally captured his nemesis, he had much more planned for him. He was hoping to bump into the jackal, but he remained hidden away in whatever corner of his ship. He would have wanted to break the hero more with his supervision this time… 

He clicked on his communicator to open the barrier between him and the hero. A small hiss was heard from the sliding door. He waited to hear some remark from the hedgehog, but to his surprise, everything was quiet. Then he remembered the state of the hedgehog when he last saw him. The blade penetrated the runner’s body. All the blood left a mess on the main room’s floor. He shook his head and walked in.

“Hello, Sonic.”

The blue hedgehog was slouched in one of the corners of his cell. He had his eyes closed, but the twitch of his ears alerted him of his presence. He took an overview of his whole body. Some scratches and bruises here and there. But that bandage that was wrapped around his torso hid the real damage. He wondered how large the wound was, only catching a glimpse when Shadow took him away. 

“I can see that the jackal had gotten a little overboard with his actions.”

Emerald eyes peered open and stared at him. The Doctor noticed how hollow they seemed under this lighting. He thought he would never see this hedgehog look so defeated. 

“A _little_?”

A raspy answer gave away to the allusion that Sonic had done a lot of screaming beforehand. He also recognized the tinge of tiredness that came from his voice. It was amazing that so much energy was taken away from the hero in such a short amount of time. 

“The Phantom Ruby is quite a _powerful_ gem.”

The Doctor saw the hedgehog shift to sit up straighter, resting his back against the wall.

“You’re tellin’ me that you gave up on the Chaos emeralds?”

Ah, the Chaos emeralds. For years, the Doctor had done everything to get his hands on those emeralds. And every time the hedgehog in front of him beat him to it. He didn’t let that stop him from trying over and over. Sometimes he was really close. Other times he was far from even getting the emerald’s location. It was hard to find the Chaos emeralds when they could be anywhere, even in another dimension. 

“Absolutely not! On the contrary, I am more determined than ever to find them. After all, you’re stuck here, and my minions are taking care of your little _friends_.”

“They’re stronger than ya think, Eggface!”

There it was: the hero he always fought on. He was right about those animals he called friends; however, how strong can they be without their hero. That was the real question. 

“We’ll see about that.”

The blue hero growled at him, but he could care less about what the cobalt mobian does to him. It was clear that he had no energy to fight him, but that mouth of his was still talking, which he considered surprising after all the pain he was put through by Infinite. Speaking of which…

“Tell me, hedgehog. Do you know why my dear jackal put you through so much _testing_?”

He heard the hedgehog laugh, which would give him a reason to get upset, but that laugh was nothing like the ones he had heard before. It was strange to hear it come from the cocky hedgehog. He did sound _defeated_...yet he still managed to face him. 

“More like _fucking_ torture. But who cares about that right! Just like I don’t care ‘bout what means you have for this ‘testing’ of yours.”

He smiled at the hero’s response. He could sense the toll that the recent events had done on him. His smile only grew at knowing that it was just a scratch of the beginning.

“Oh! But you should care...because I have big plans for when you break out of that optimistic and bright shell of yours…”

Another laugh came from the hero.

“You really think I’m going to be here long enough to let you treat me like a guinea pig!”

The Doctor’s smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. He wondered how much pain the hero was really hiding behind that mask of his. He knew of what Sonic was really capable of. He just never managed to bring it out of the hero since he was defeated in almost every battle. Except for this time. 

“I don’t think, but I _know_ that you will be stuck here. No one will come to your rescue…”

He turned around to face the door. He could sense the blue speedster shift once more. He walked towards one side of the room before walking back to the other side. His pace was slow and calm as if he wasn’t talking to his nemesis in a prison cell. He felt the other’s eyes on him, glaring at his presence. He kept waiting for retaliation from his comment but none came. Has the idiot accepted his defeat…?

“What do you want from me, Eggman?”

He stopped his pacing and glanced at the cobalt hero. He wanted to _kill_ him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do so until he gathered every drop of dark chaos energy from the hedgehog. He enjoyed the idea of getting rid of this pest, but his genius mind pulled at his strings to let the hedgehog become a sort of vessel to do his bidding. He would display the renowned hero as a trophy to remind the world and its last survivors that he reigned supreme. That at the end of it all, the Doctor defeated Sonic the Hedgehog. 

“Every mobian is born with a chaos energy signature. This signature is specific to them, representing a sort of fingerprint. These fingerprints can be detected by those that are born with the ability to use chaos energy. To control chaos energy.”

He returned to his pacing around the prison cell.

“I have done everything to invent something with powers similar to yours. As we can see, I wasn’t quite successful until now. I figured that I had to dive deeper into how to genetically create code that gave me your abilities. So, I invested my research into why mobians, like you, have these unique powers in the first place. It turns out your _kind_ had walked this very planet many centuries ago. They were known as Chaos borns. Mobians born with certain abilities that manipulated the chaos energy around them to their favor.”

“No offense, but why the history lesson?”

Of course, the idiot didn’t realize where he was heading with this. He ignored the hedgehog’s question and continued with his explanation.

“However, the explanation as to why only some are born like this remains a mystery. It took several years for society to adapt to these powerful beings living among them. They were seen as divine beings to some, and dangerous to others. So, a team of researchers decided to investigate the anatomy of these creatures. To do so, they needed Chaos borns, but they knew voluntary mobians would not be enough. Therefore, they turned to darker means to get their test subjects. Researchers looked to powerful people in the government to do that dirty work for them. Hired mercenaries were made to capture Chaos borns all over Mobius.”

“What species were the mercenaries?”

Although the question had nothing to do with what actually mattered, the Doctor couldn’t help but face the hedgehog with a grin. Besides taking an interest in the trained mercenary’s mind, he couldn’t help but find it amusing that Sonic was captured by his ancestors’ greatest threat.

“Jackals, of course. They were the best at hunting down their prey! It didn’t matter if the targets were adult men or young children, they delivered as they promised their clients. As far as I learned, the race of the jackals was one of the biggest threats to the existence of Chaos borns. Now you can see why Infinite plays a perfect role in this whole plan. He’s the predator to you, the prey.”

The blue hero narrowed his eyes at him, scoffing at what he was saying.

“So are we all just puppets in this plan of yours? Why are you even telling me this? What does this have to do with me?”

His grin only grew at the questions that came from the hero’s mouth. It seemed that the hedgehog never learned of his bloodline quite well. He would make sure to change that.

“After some tests and studies, the researchers established that only two types of Chaos born derived from the chaos energy: Light Chaos Born and Dark Chaos Born.”

Emerald eyes widened at hearing his words, and he could see how the hedgehog’s face paled. 

“Both powerful, but different in their own way. Healing and life longevity are some of the virtues that the chaos energy bestowed on them. However, Light Chaos Borns were known for ‘creating’ life around them, having a sense of protection to follow. Throughout history, they were known as symbols of birth and beauty. On the other side, Dark Chaos Borns were known for the opposite, carrying the ‘destructive’ nature in their genes. They symbolized darkness and corruption.”

The mad scientist figured that the cobalt hero had figured out what he was saying. The faraway look in those eyes would be evidence of what he thought was true, not to mention the heavy breathing that now echoed in the cell. He had instilled fear into the very being that he had grown to hate all his life.

“Sadly, due to these discoveries, many Dark Chaos Borns were labeled as outcasts from society and seen as a threat. With the public focusing on the findings, they declared that Dark Chaos Borns to be captured and taken away from their homes. This marked the beginning of the Chaos War, which led to awful consequences. Dark Chaos Borns fell into a trance that was deemed their primitive state, enabling them to cause physical and mental damage among those that intervened in their path. Everything fell into catastrophe, and the Light Chaos Borns tried to hold off their counterparts, their own mind telling them to stop the threat. Before long, the war evolved into a fight between the two Chaos Born kinds.”

“W-why are there n-no recent activities of these Chaos-s Borns t-today?”

Stuttering! He thought he would never see the day in which Sonic the Hedgehog would sound so scared! It was music to his ears. He couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the hedgehog’s worrying nature. 

“Don’t you know what happens during war, Sonic! Death happens! Just imagine god-like beings fighting each other only to have them eradicate their bloodline. Chaos Borns became a rare species; many had fled while they still could. There were no findings of Chaos Borns after years gone by, leaving many to believe that they became extinct.”

A shaky breath could be heard as the hedgehog continued to question him.

“But that’s not true, right?”

He snapped his fingers and chuckled at the hero’s thinking.

“Of course not! You see as generations passed by, the knowledge of Chaos Borns disappeared, only to be myths in old books. However, my grandfather dug deeper and found that they weren’t myths at all. His research was based on more than just scientific experimentation. He managed to get his hands on an old lab journal from the researchers that studied the nature of the Chaos Borns. Many thought he was crazy, studying these unimaginable creatures, but he knew that anything was of value if it helped in finding a cure for my dear cousin. In the end, it paid off when he created the Ultimate Lifeform.”

“S-shadow?”

He clapped at the answers he was receiving.

“Right, again! Doesn’t it seem strange how he handles firepower that connects him to chaos energy? Shadow _is_ a Chaos Born.”

The blue hedgehog started breathing harder and was starting to shake his head. Hands grasped quills as if to wake him up from whatever the hedgehog believed this was. But it was no dream or nightmare, it was the truth.

“That can’t be! Shadow was made, not born! You’re lying...you have to be…”

The Doctor sighed and pinched his nose.

“Am I? Then explain why he is capable of doing things that most of your kind cannot do. It’s quite simple if you just accept the truth! But if I have to say, this isn’t the best part.”

“What’s so great ‘bout this, old man!”

He ignored the distasteful nickname and walked up to the hyperventilating hedgehog. He looked down on this pest.

“He’s a Light Chaos Born.”

The blue form stopped shaking and looked up at him. He could see the fear grow more in those dull emerald eyes. 

“N-no...no...i-it can’t…”

“Stop denying the truth, idiot. Shadow is what he is, and I believe I know why you find this so hard to accept. It's actually ironic that he's a Light Chaos Born and not you…”

“Shut up!”

“Are you willing to reject your origins, your ancestors, your bloodline, your true form?”

“No!”

“Too scared to know that you’re a—”

“Fuck you!” 

The Doctor felt fists hitting his feet. The hero was trying to push him away with the little strength he had in him, and he was having a hard time, especially with that wound.

“Dark Chaos Born. That’s what you are, Sonic.”

“Leave me alone!”

He stepped away from the hero’s space, resulting in the cobalt mobian to fall forward. He kept hitting the floor with clenched fists and cries of anger. How pathetic, the Doctor thought.

“Nothing but a blood-thirsty monster under all the heroic acts you put on display for others.”

“I’m not a monster!”

A beeping came from his communicator. He glanced at his wrist and saw the contact. Shadow. It seemed that this conversation was about to get better. He answered the call.

“Yes?”

“I have arrived at the location. Ready to attack at your orders, Doctor.”

He saw the blue form freeze for a moment and lift his face to look at him. 

“Perfect. Can you put up a visual feed?”

He could hear the dark hedgehog speak to someone else. A few seconds later, he could see an incoming visual feed coming through the call. Clicking on the screen again, a hologram was presented, and he pointed it towards a wall for better viewing. He could also see Sonic sitting up, watching with close attention at what was happening.

“Doctor?”

“We can see you perfectly well, Shadow.”

The dark hedgehog was in front of the camera that seemed to be offered by one of his robots. It looks like not all of them faced their end when attacking the center of the city. Shadow was standing somewhere in an open field, squinting his eyes to find a cliff off to one side of the feed. He couldn’t remember last where the hero lived, but he had gotten the coordinates of the home through some searching. 

“Would you please show your location to our guest, Shadow.”

The dark hedgehog nodded and moved aside to show the rest of the place. A two-story house stood in front of them. The Doctor couldn’t remember if he has seen it before, but the gasp that came from the mobian next to him definitely assured him he was right. It was Sonic’s home. The one he shared with a certain fox.

“Now, you see, Sonic, Infinite is not the only one that knows your worst fears.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Being the right hand of the Doctor came with good things. For example, he had access to everything that the older man wanted to accomplish, from phase one to the next. He would see everything that happens behind the scenes.

He was more surprised to hear that the Doctor had officially given him the right to give orders to the others. They would also need to report everything to him and discuss it later with the genius. But right now, he needed to focus on arriving at his assigned destination.

Sonic’s home.

Shadow wasn’t surprised that the evil scientist wanted to destroy the hero’s home, but what did make him worry was the whereabouts of a certain fox. Miles was Sonic’s younger brother, and they shared a strong relationship. He remembered how Sonic looked out for the younger one in every way he could. Heck, Sonic managed to raise the kid while he alone was still one. They definitely cared about each other. And this is why he found it disturbing to do something like this.

The Doctor had made plans for each of them to attack a specific location. It all ranged between Angel Island to a few G.U.N. bases. However, some coordinates managed to catch his attention the most, a home that he had visited multiple times over the last year. He couldn’t let the child be hurt, so he decided to attack the location himself. He would try to cause enough damage to deem it ‘destroyed’ but not enough to potentially cause any harm to those inside. Well, he hoped that no one was inside at all when he attacked it. 

He would alert his contact of the current situation, but one of the Doctor’s robots tailed him, following him as his protocol dictated. He let out a frustrated sigh as he realized that being in charge didn’t always come with good things now. Everyone was going to be looking at him and seeing his every step to know what to do. He would have to make do with what he has.

Coming to a stop some distance from the two-story house, Shadow scanned the outside of the house. He didn’t see anyone or hear anything. He could only hope that these were signs of an empty household. Loud footsteps approached him from behind, the robot landed and stood next to the agent. Shadow glanced at it, seeing that it would only follow as it was told. He lifted his hand and decided to call the Doctor.

The Doctor had specifically wanted to be contacted before he attacked the home, assuming he wished to know of the attack, personally.

"Yes?”

“I have arrived at the location. Ready to attack at your orders, Doctor.”

There were a few moments of silence before he heard the Doctor speak up once more.

“Perfect. Can you put up a visual feed?”

He glanced up at the robot next to him, trying to see if the machine was able to reproduce what the Doctor needed. He ordered the robot to open up a camera from its center compartment and set it up to connect it to the Doctor’s call. The machine did as it was told and was able to send a transmission signal that would enable a visual call with his current contact. He stood in front of the camera, staring at the small lens that could only show the feed one-way.

“Doctor?”

“We can see you perfectly well, Shadow.”

Was the Doctor with someone else? Perhaps the jackal, he thought.

“Would you please show your location to our guest, Shadow.”

He was with someone. He nodded at the Doctor’s orders and moved aside to allow the camera to capture the environment around them. He could hear a gasp come from his communicator. What was the Doctor playing at?

“Now, you see, Sonic, Infinite is not the only one that knows your worst fears.”

Shadow froze at hearing the Doctor’s words. He was showing the feed to Sonic...he wanted to have the hero observe how _he_ ruined the home that not only the blue speedster lived in, but the one that also belonged to a golden fox. The Doctor was going to break Sonic in the ways it hurt him the most, and it all will be done by his own hands. He looked down at his gloved hands. In the end, he was still hurting Sonic, even if the hero knew about his undercover mission.

“Shadow…demolish that house.”

He gulped and clenched his fists at hearing what the Doctor asked of him. He had to do something. _Anything_.

“What of the lifeforms inside the house?”

“Don’t worry, my robot’s visual camera gives me readings of any heat signatures inside. Just destroy everything.”

He bit his lip. No! He needed to stall for more time…

“Is the fox in there?”

“ _Shadow_ …follow my orders. Now!”

“No! Don’t do it! Shadow!”

He heard the pleas and cries of his blue counterpart. The dread and worry in that voice. His head was starting to throb, and he could see his vision become blurry. 

“Doctor, just tell me. Is the child in there?”

“Do as you are told, hedgehog!”

“Please! Don’t do this, Shadow! I’m begging you! Please! Not Tails!”

The hero’s crying was making it harder to think. He couldn’t do this, not to Sonic. Miles was Sonic’s family. Sonic’s everything. If he followed through, he would be like the people that took…Maria away from him. His sister. His _everything_. 

Several grunts could be heard from the other line, and he shook his head to focus on the situation. He tried to get himself together before speaking up again.

“I would like to know, so I can bring the body and shove it at the hero’s feet. To show him what real _pain_ is.”

A frustrated sigh and a _louder_ cry of anguish could be heard from the communicator.

“FIne. My robot picks up three signatures in the household. Now, do the job! Don’t make me regret trusting _you_ …”

Three heat signatures? He slowly started to walk towards the house. He had hoped that no one was inside the house, but now there were three unidentified people in there, one of them most likely the Prower kid.

“Eggman, stop this! Tell him to back down!”

He could find a way to inflict enough damage to make it look demolished, but with the Doctor watching, he couldn’t guarantee anything anymore. That stupid robot had to just follow him, didn’t it. 

“Ivo! Fucking stop this!”

He was several feet away from the target. It was getting hard to breathe. His hands were starting to shake. His mind was starting to get foggy. Every time he blinked, flashes of old memories would appear. Memories of his sister. Memories of smiling with her. Laughing with her. _Protecting_ her. He remembered the feeling of protecting the girl when he first saw her. He remembered how a sudden need to care for her washed over his body as he placed his palm on the tube’s glass, lining it up with her’s. His feet were suddenly heavier, and his vision was almost blinded with nothing but a white sensation…

“Please, I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt Tails!”

He heard the screaming, but he couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from anymore. He tried to rub away the white vision from his eyes…when did the grass turn into a smooth metal floor?

He glanced around his surroundings. Nothing but a long, familiar corridor behind him. He turned around. A closed entrance. A blinking light came from a screen pad that was placed to the right of the entrance. His crimson eyes glanced back at the door. There was an itch in his mind, telling him he has been here before. But when?

A feminine voice stopped his thinking.

_“Shadow!”_

His whole world stopped and his heart clenched at hearing that voice. This can’t be possible… 

He knew that voice, but he was too scared to find what he would see.

“ _Shadow!”_

He didn’t want to believe this…he just couldn’t….

_“Shadow, can you hear me?”_

This time it was closer. Why was he here, again? Why was _she_ here?

_“Shadow, are you alright?”_

A small, beautiful voice could be heard right behind him. He felt hot tears slipping down his cheeks. He wanted to scream. He wanted to hit something. He wanted this to stop. He…he…he… 

  
  


Wanted to turn around.

  
  
  


And see her.

  
  
  


A hand rested on his shoulder. It was cold…as if it was…metal? 

“Shadow! Are you listening?!”

The voice sounded as if it was coming from a male…he glanced down to see green grass. He looked up, and there it was, the front door to the hero’s house. He wasn’t in the Ark; he was in Mobius, in front of Sonic’s home.

Turning around, it was the robot that had approached him. It wasn’t _her_. He cleared his throat and glanced at his surroundings once more. Was he dreaming in the middle of what he was doing? If so, what triggered it? This was something that never happened to him. So why now?

He swiped away the wetness from his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Doctor. It seems that some technical issues have come across our transmission signal. May you repeat your orders.”

“Back down, I repeat. Go and find the others. See if they finished their assignment.”

“Yes, Doctor….”

“Oh, and Shadow.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t let personal issues get in the way of your true mission.”

He frowned at hearing the Doctor say this.

“What do you mean?”

A sigh.

“I know you were thinking about _her_. I have seen that look before Shadow.”

“I…” 

“Just don’t let this happen again.”

“I won’t.”

“See to it that the others are doing as they were told.”

He nodded at the camera’s lens, visually confirming his new objective. A few seconds later, and the call ended. He sighed and rubbed his face. This was getting more complicated than he thought. Why was he experiencing these episodes again?

He glanced at the robot, who was still standing there. If he was going to follow through with the objective, he might as well do it alone. He didn’t want this piece of metal to follow him everywhere. After all, he needed to make some _calls_.

He faced the robot and looked it in its eyes.

“Report back to the ship. Your mission is done.”

He could hear the small humming of the robot’s internal program registering his words. Then their eyes blinked once before standing back.

“Understood.”

The robotic figure jetted off in the direction of the soon-to-be dark sky. Shadow looked at the sunset that glowed its final rays of light in the pinkish sky. One last look behind him, and he sprinted down to check on the others. However, his mind kept trying to think back to his dream-like state. What was behind that closed door?

He could recall screaming before everything faded out and back into focus. Screaming…someone’s cries….

  
  


Sonic’s cries.

  
  


_“Please, I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt Tails!”_

  
  


That bastard! It was all just bait to make Sonic fall for it. The Doctor was pushing all the right buttons to have Sonic give up anything to save those he loved.

  
  


He needed to finish this up. And _quickly_.

* * *

  
  
  


_Date:_

_March 17, XXXX_

_Location:_

_Defense Lab Of The Recovery Of Physiology (D.L.R.P.)_

_Time:_

_1600 hrs._

_Area:_

_Sector C-02_

_Subject:_

_LCB-17_

_Supervisor(s):_

_Dr. Rebekah Lynn and team_

_Entry #28:_

_Further testing continues on the Light Chaos Borns to determine their genetic code. We will be receiving new batches of test subjects by the end of this week. For this test, we will observe the natural instincts of the Light Chaos Born-17._

_Note: Light Chaos Born-17 will be referred to as LCB-17. Dark Chaos Borns will be referred to as DCBs._

_After submitting LCB-17 into its first simulation, we have determined that their responses for fight-and-flight differ from those of the DCBs. The situations in which they were put under are described below:_

  * _In a store during a robbery_


  * _Witness of an abusive relationship in a household_


  * _Car crash accident_


  * _Watching a loved one be at gunpoint_



_The extremity of each scenario represents how the LCB-17’s mind reacts and sends neurotransmitters to the rest of its body. Reaction time, heart rate, breathing rate, physical observations, and brain activity are recorded for each of the scenarios._

  * _Reaction time:_
    * _Throughout the progress of this test, the LCB-17 has proven to act quickly and efficiently in each situation it was put under in the simulation. They manage to take note of everything around them and perform the most effective solution. Furthermore, given LCB-17’s unique characteristics, they can take action faster than the other LCBs. It enables them to run, jump, climb, etc. at high speeds without breaking into a sweat. More testing needs to be done on LCB-17 to determine the range of the speeds it can naturally reach under extreme pressures._



  * _Heart rate:_
    * _Normal heart rate for the first scenario. Increases slightly in the next two scenarios. However, it returns to its normal state after figuring out the solution. The real change happens when faced with the last scene. It is believed that having a loved one be under such circumstances triggers their primitive state (Read Entry #14). LCB-17’s heart rate keeps increasing throughout the whole time in the last scenario. It takes 45 seconds for LCB-17 to calm down, which is still quicker than a normal mobian. Having this much control over their heart shows how they can control their body reactions, but they do not become compliant to the destructive gene that is seen in DCBs (Read Entry #12)._



  * _Breathing rate:_
    * _This observation is quite unusual. For having their heart rate increase, the breathing rate remains normal for all scenarios. LCB-17 shows no change in the exchange of their inhales and exhales (See Physical Observations). It seems as if it believes it has everything under control. Once again, there’s a surprising feat to LCB-17 as its unnatural speed is somehow correlated to its breathing. So far, LCB-17 has been the only one to showcase this novelty. Further experimentation needs to be made with real-life scenarios._



  * _Physical observations:_
    * _Outside appearance changes for each scenario. For the first one, LCB-17 fights back the robber with quick reflexes and natural flexibility. This is something that appears in all Chaos Borns. For the second one, LCB-17 becomes agitated and moves with a determined look on their face. They confront the abuser with words, and then they make sure to ‘warn’ them by baring their teeth, not going beyond these actions. This is seen in all LCBs. The third scenario requires LCB-17 to demonstrate its strength as they remove any obstacle in the way of finding the victims of the car crash. However, the eyes’ pupils become smaller, as it is detected by the simulation, and LCB-17 performs the solution without heaving or stopping. The last one provides the greatest discovery that we have been trying to decipher. LCB-17’s eyes do a similar thing from before and move forward without stopping. However, they do not hesitate to hurt those that harm the loved one, but it seems that they do not have the intention of killing the threats. This does not follow the ‘destructive’ gene that is seen through DCBs. Comparative testing needs to be done on two kinds at the same time for more data._



  * _Brain activity:_
    * _We have found that all Chaos Borns have a primitive state. However, they differ between the LCBs and DCBs. So far as we have seen, DCBs have shown a rather dangerous side of their animalistic behavior. We have further testing to oversee to analyze how high the level of what we see as a corrupted mind can go. On the other hand, LCBs have shown a rather promising state, with having more control over their behavior. We have decided to label their gene the ‘protective’ one. Their brain activity shows areas in which the gene somehow transmits a signal throughout LCB-17’s body to act on it. The gene is most dominant in the last scenario. Nonetheless, LCBs are still held as powerful beings, but we hope to dissect how this gene works. Figuring out the gene will guide us to create plans for making a distinctive code to inject on our government's military soldiers (Read Objective #9 from the D.L.R.P.-GOV Proposal). We will revolutionize the meaning of science with this project._



_Comments:_

_LCB-17 has proven to be a strong test subject. They are by far the most successful one to pass the simulation without side effects (Read Entry #3). We might think that LCB-17 showcases unique features, besides its appropriate ones, and this could mean that they are one of a kind. They can be much stronger than their own kind. More testing needs to be done on the other LCB’s of having another lifeform like LCB-17._

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“So what I am hearing is that the Master Emerald is _somewhere_ close by…”

“I thought we went over this, Rouge!”

Pink lips pouted as she heard her boyfriend deny her the chance to take the beautiful gem. Fortunately, she was just joking and smirked at how hot-tempered the red echidna could be.

“Hon, I’m just joking. I know how much you _love_ that shiny gem more than me…”

She clutched at her chest and walked ahead of her partner. Her sensitive ears could hear the small sigh that her red boyfriend released.

“Rouge, you know that’s not true…”

She peeked over her shoulder and looked at her lover in the eyes. Oh! She knew no gem could compare to the real beauty of those eyes.

“Prove it.”

“Rouge…”

“If you love me, you have to prove it to me.”

The bat understood why he was hesitant about doing so. They were walking in a large crowd, leading the only mobians that are willing to fight in this war. She couldn’t help but be surprised as she was used to the crowd depending on people like them to protect them. But that’s beside the point, right now she was waiting for her Knuckles to demonstrate his love for her in the public eye.

A hand slid around her waist, and she felt the warmth of the other’s body wrap around her. She loved how Knuckles’ presence made her feel safe and comfortable. Sure, he can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but whose partner isn’t, she loves him and that’s all that matters. 

Rouge gasped as a soft kiss was placed on her forehead. It made her heart flutter as she took in the attention she was receiving.

“I only have eyes for you, my _love_.”

She felt the start of a blush form on her cheeks as she felt soft lips move to her right ear to whisper the words of his loyalty to her. Knuckles was one of the best things that has happened to her. She turned to look at the red lover and give him the biggest smile.

“Oh, Knuckie! I have the best boyfriend!”

The female agent saw a small smile and blush grace that handsome face. She could deal with his attitude if it meant seeing him happy too.

“Yeah, yeah…”

She giggled and looked up ahead to see that they were nearing the floating island. Well, it wasn’t floating this time. Apparently, Knuckles decided to hide the Master Emerald somewhere that the Doctor couldn’t get his hands on. After so many years of serving his duties before anything, she was glad that the guardian had decided to move off the rock island. To experience other things as a normal person instead of watching over it 24/7. After all, if it weren’t for Knuckles' decision, they would never have gotten together, at least that’s what she thought. Rouge wanted her partner to treat her as she would treat them. If that meant spending time together, giving up on some things for them, then she would look to it that both put effort into doing so.

“I’m glad you’re here with me…”

“I will always be here for you.”

It didn’t matter that she was the only one to see this side of him. If anything, she liked it to be that way all the time.

“Do you think we can really pull this off?”

“Honestly, I don’t know, hon. Everything’s at play this time, and I know the Doctor has the upper hand this time.”

Rouge hated to admit it, but if they were talking about the real thing, they really couldn’t do much since the Doctor took advantage of everything. He has all those guys on his side. He had Shadow. She hated that most of all. He might not have a chaos emerald, well not that they know of, but he has an equally powerful, if not more, stone that could put even Blue in his place. Speaking of which…

“Do you really think Big Blue is there?”

“I’m hoping he is because I don’t know what we’ll do if he’s not. We need him out here, he knows how to handle all of this.”

Knuckles waved a hand to their surroundings, trying to demonstrate what he meant with his actions. Rouge knew that Knuckles was capable of leading a group against any Eggman attack, but that didn’t mean he wanted it or accepted it. Swiftly, the bat placed her hand above the one that held her waist, patting it. Knuckles was much more than just Sonic’s teammate, but the echidna didn’t always see it as such.

“Knuckles…you know I believe in you, right? We have dealt with saving the world multiple times, and yeah, this may be the biggest shit storm out of all of them, but at least we're together. We’re doing this together. Remember that you’re not alone in this.”

The agent’s ears picked up on the small chuckle that left beautiful lips. She smiled at knowing that she could make Knuckles smile and laugh in the worst of times. It proved how much they really cared for each other. 

“Since when did you become so _inspirational_?”

“What are you talking about? I have always been inspirational!”

“Sure you are…”

She nudged him in the ribs, but the bat couldn’t help but giggle at her lover’s sarcasm.

“I’m serious, though, you don’t have to handle all of this by yourself. We’ve got your back, even the toughest of guys need help, you know.”

“Thank you, Rouge.”

“Anytime, hon.”

They walked in silence for a few more moments before her partner spoke up again.

“So you think I’m the toughest…”

“Talk about egotistical, too.”

She laughed at Knuckles’ pout, which was quite adorable, but still, she couldn’t remember the last time she saw him make such a face.

“You’re so c—”

Sensitive ears caught a hold of trickling and low humming, almost too low, but she still managed to catch the sound. She removed herself from the side embrace that Knuckles had her in. She looked around the crowd in all directions, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

“Rouge?”

“I hear something…almost as if it’s slithering…”

“Slithering?”

She nodded as she continued to look around her, sharp eyes glancing in every spot of the crowd. She felt like she had heard that sound before, but where? 

“I’m going to take a bird-eye’s view, okay.”

Before Knuckles could respond, she took off into the air, flapping her wings to balance her. She looked around from her high point of view, but she still couldn’t find the source of the sound. She glanced down and shouted to her partner.

“I’ll be back, just going to check on the others in the back.”

She spread her wings wider and flew in the direction of where the Chaotix team and the time-travelers were. She kept checking over every spot her eyes landed on, but she still didn’t find anything. However, her ears could definitely hear the sound getting louder. It was nearer.

Spotting a silver hedgehog and purple feline, she flew down where Silver and Blaze were walking. Landing softly some feet ahead of them, she waved at the best friend duo.

“Hey, you two!”

Silver gave her his bright smile, and Blaze waved, with her own small smile. 

“Oh! Hi, Rouge!”

The female agent always admired Silver’s optimistic attitude, reminding her of a certain blue hero. 

“Is everything alright?”

Rouge turned in Blaze’s direction, finding a small frown on the princess’s facial features. Her heart stopped beating for a moment as she looked at that expression. It reminded her of Shadow…

“Yeah, just checking up on everyone!”

Forcing a smile on her pink lips, she noticed that the princess gave her a worried look. She needed to work on her acting skills, she was getting rusty…

“Rouge, are you s—”

This time she heard the splash and drip of water… 

Water? 

“Rouge?”

Ignoring the young hedgehog’s questioning, she tried to rack her mind for anything related to water. What was it about water?

Her body was tingling, alerting her of possible danger. Maybe a tsunami? A storm? 

The ground below their feet started to shake, gradually increasing. 

“I thought Knuckles removed the Master Emerald from the altar.”

Rouge looked at the princess and answered her without hesitance.

“He _did_.”

“Then why is Ange—”

A loud roar interrupted the female princess. Screaming came from the crowd of mobians.

Then it suddenly hit Rouge. Water! She paled at her realization. How did _it_ even turn again?!

She needed to find Knuckles. _Fast_.

She spread her wings and prepared to take off, but she looked at the time-travelers before leaving.

“Find Vector and his team! I’m going to find Knuckles! Meet us at the edge of the forest.”

“Wait! What’s happening?!”

The bat heard another roar come from the beast she knew too well.

“Ever fought _Perfect Chaos_?”

With that, she lifted into the air, speeding quickly through the air in search of the guardian. This shit storm just got a whole lot worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! A history lesson, presented by none other than Dr. Eggman...did you guys ever had that one teacher that just made class awful...like it wasn't the subject at all, just them as a whole.
> 
> Anyways, next chapter:
> 
> They arrived at Angel Island, but only to find that someone is already busy destroying it. The Resistance keeps getting pushed back from their plans, as the Doctor wants. 
> 
> Talking about the Doctor, he manages to have our Hero become compliant to his orders to protect the others from Eggman's evil doing. Let's not forget about that journal entry from this chapter, many more are to come while we find out what the Doctor plans to do with the infamous Blue Blur.
> 
> Lastly, what in the world does Shadow's dream mean? What hides behind that door? The dark hedgehog makes a call and decides that he needs to investigate more than just the Phantom Ruby while he's working with the Doctor.


	8. IMPORTANT NOTE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ THIS! IT HAS TO DO WITH THE STORY!

First off, I want to say thank you to all of you for your support and sweet comments! Your words have really pushed me forward and encourage me to write more. I have always been a big fan of the Sonic Universe, and I have always promised myself that my first fic would be dedicated to this cute hedgehog. It took me about two years to try writing something, starting off by writing something personal. After reading so many sonadow fics, I decided to give it a try as well. I can say that I was _really_ scared to post something for others to read, but I have only gotten a beautiful audience who are really awesome. And for that, I thank you! :)

Now, I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to expand the meaning of this story. Secrets and Lies was something I thought of back in early April, and I decided to post it on AO3 after many talks with myself. The original plan for this story was to create a rewrite of Sonic Forces, changing up some parts and adding more characters. Now, I can basically say that a lot of the plotline may be altered in future chapters, but it will still be based on Sonic Forces. HOWEVER, since I noticed that a lot of you guys enjoyed the suspense and drama, I decided to change things up a bit. The recent chapter has a journal entry from a research lab, created by me, **Defense Lab Of The Recovery Of Physiology** **(D.L.R.P.)**. This research facility will be an _important_ component as this story develops. 

As of today, December 6th, 2020, at 10:17 (Pacific Time) p.m., I have officially created a Tumblr blog dedicated to this research facility and its team. On this blog, many posts will be made, ranging from information on the lab to pictures, that will have to do with the ongoing story. Future posts will include more details on characters like Dr. Rebekah Lynn and other upcoming doctors. I'm still thinking about whether to have weekly posts or daily posts. 

I have to thank Gay_Jesus_Probably for this idea! One of their comments talked about conspiracy theories, and I thought: 'Hey, let's build on that idea and make the readers give out their own ideas on what's going to happen!' Anyway, I do hope this creates more interaction between you, my readers, and me for this fic. I really want this to be fun and full of puzzle pieces for you guys to fit together :). 

Lastly, the link is here: [that-one-person-022.tumblr.com](http://that-one-person-022.tumblr.com/)

Yes, there is a post already, regarding the lab above. More importantly, I hope you all like it! Please, don't be afraid to share your thoughts and theories on how the story unfolds through the comment section. I would also like to know any theories you all have to build ideas on how to surprise you guys with something in some of my chapters! 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrived at Angel Island, but only to find that someone is already busy destroying it. The Resistance keeps getting pushed back from their plans, as the Doctor wants.
> 
> Talking about the Doctor, he manages to have our Hero become compliant to his orders to protect the others from Eggman's evil doing. Let's not forget about that journal entry from this chapter, many more are to come while we find out what the Doctor plans to do with the infamous Blue Blur.
> 
> Lastly, what in the world does Shadow's dream mean? What hides behind that door? The dark hedgehog makes a call and decides that he needs to investigate more than just the Phantom Ruby while he's working with the Doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The blog has been updated so check it out! Some new stuff has been posted and more history on the Chaos Borns is to come!
> 
> UPDATE!!!!!  
> So, I thought of giving you guys one more surprise, not big, but it's something. A sneak peek of Chapter 9 has been posted on the blog, so if you're bored, go check it out. I might do these 'sneak peeks' every chapter or two, unless you guys ask (or beg because sometimes I do that, too) for a specific chapter that I haven't posted for.

_Date:_

_April 10, XXXX_

_Location:_

_Defense Lab Of The Recovery Of Physiology (D.L.R.P.)_

_Special Division Area_

_Dr. Rebekah Lynn’s Office_

  
  


_Time:_

_1900 hrs._

  
  
  


_Personal Note #33:_

  
  


_My team and I continue testing the new arrivals of DCBs, but some circumstances have caused several setbacks. DCBs are becoming more difficult to control and contain within the other sectors. Therefore, we have transferred all DCBs to Sector A for maximum security. However, testing these subjects will put our team members in potential danger if we come near the DCBs. New applications of tests will be derived from previous ones to find the safest way to continue our investigation of Chaos Borns._

_Furthermore, I have received good news from LCB-17. The test subject continues to amaze us with its abilities to perform difficult tasks with ease. I am happy to finally write that tomorrow we will be able to discover the true lengths as to how far LCB-17 can go. Even so, we are afraid to believe that LCB-17 is only of its kind. Week 14’s batch of LCBs have proven to be strong, but they do not compare to that of LCB-17. We initially hoped to find similar Chaos Borns to accomplish our goals, but with one body, we can only do so much. With this information given, we are trying to find a serum that will allow the DCBs’ bodies to react to specific commands. We continue to wait for Mr. Peterson’s letter that dictates if we continue with PHASE-02(D) of the new plans. In other news, I continue to further my understanding of LCB-17’s genetic code, with the help of Dr. Kintobor. We hope to have results by the end of the month to present to Mr. Peterson. I hope to find the process on how to replicate the genetic code to make our own Chaos Borns._

  
  


_In addition, our efforts continue to provide us with donors to help push this project forward. Sadly, we do not have access to the names, as they would like to remain unknown, but I am profoundly grateful for their support._

_~ Rebeka Lynn, ID ****249_

* * *

  
  


“Fuck!”

Rouge would agree with her partner as she saw Perfect Chaos demolishing Angel Island’s habitat. The last time they encountered the water beast, it was in Station Square. More importantly, Sonic was the one that was able to take down the beast. Sure, they did help Blue, but he was the one that transformed into his super form. Not to mention that they had _all_ seven chaos emeralds at the time, too. Wait… 

“Does this mean the Doctor has all the emeralds?”

She saw Knuckles stop his frantic pacing and looked at her. 

“Why would you think that?”

She frowned as she heard the guardian ask her this. She thought he was supposed to know everything about the emeralds and the godly water-being.

“Uh, because Chaos needs the negative energy out of all the emeralds to transform into that. Did you forget?”

She pointed a thumb in the direction of the water beast. However, she squinted her teal eyes at the now fidgeting form of her favorite red echidna.

“O-of cours-se, not!”

“Mhm, tell me, sweetie, is there something I should know?”

The echidna in front of her avoided her eyes, a clear sign that he was hiding something.

“N-no!”

What a bad liar, she thought. Stuttering is always a sign of lying.

“Knuckles…”

“There’s nothing—”

“Please, don’t start lying to me now.”

Knuckles didn’t say anything for a moment before releasing a long sigh. A loud roar echoed again. She saw her lover glance at the source of the loud roar. The bat was about to push him further, but Knuckles started to talk again.

“There’s so _much_ more to how Chaos came to be…”

She arched an eyebrow at what he said. She couldn’t quite understand what he was trying to say, but then she remembered that Knuckles’ ancestors regarded Chaos as a god. The Echidna Tribe were guardians that protected the Master Emerald for hundreds of years…

“Knuckles…”

The red male switched his gaze towards her.

“Rouge…there’s another reason why I quickly want to find Sonic before anything else…”

“I thought I told you we are—”

“No, it’s not that.”

She closed her mouth, and for the first time in her life, her teal eyes could see the flash of fear in amethyst ones. She walked closer to the red male and grabbed his hands. Rouge needed to make sure that he knew he had her…that she was also scared just like him.

“Hon, I’m sure Sonic is alright, he’s a strong fighter…” 

The male shook his head slightly, and damn, her heart broke at seeing her boyfriend become so _vulnerable_. She placed a hand on his cheek as amethyst eyes became glassy.

“I know-w he is-s…b-but sometimes-s he l-loses control-l…and-d…” 

“It’s okay...take deep breaths, it’s okay. I’m here…”

Rouge saw as Knuckles closed his eyes and took several breaths. A few moments later, he opened them and leaned his forehead against hers. 

“I promise we’ll free Sonic, and you know I keep my promises.”

“I know…”

Pink lips kissed darker lips in a small feathery touch. No matter how long they have been together, Rouge could still feel the sensation of butterflies in her tummy whenever she kissed Knuckles. Separating to breathe in some air, she smiled at the pink muzzle she saw.

“Right now, we need to deal with this, but we can talk more when you’re comfortable, alright?”

A small nod was the answer she got in return. She removed herself from his arms and looked around for some people that were taking _too_ long to arrive.

“Okay, now what’s taking the others so long?”

Rouge clicked on her communicator, deciding to contact Vector, but her ears caught the sound of a buzzing bee.

“I found ya!”

The young bee managed to stop his zooming flight in front of Knuckles and her. Charmy was smiling at them as if they didn’t have a monstrous problem to handle right now. She wondered how the kid managed to be so strong in the face of danger. Then again, Shadow was still a teenager when the bat first encountered him back when they had been co-partners under the Doctor’s plans. Shaking her head, she heard the others running up to them.

“Good…job, C-charmy!”

Vector was grasping his knees while taking deep breaths. Espio patted the older male on the back. She smirked at how the crocodile seemed exhausted from running, but she knew that he had a strong firepower to fight back. She guessed running wasn’t for everybody… 

“What’s the plan?”

Teal eyes landed on the pyrokinesis princess.

“Well, for all we know, the Doctor has decided to attack Angel Island in search of the Master Emerald.”

Knuckles nodded along with her explanation. 

“Wait, I thought the Master Emerald wasn’t here.”

Knuckles cleared up the chameleon’s confusion.

“It’s not, but Eggman doesn’t know that. He might think it’s somewhere on the island, even if it’s not on the altar.”

Charmy flew in front of Espio.

“So, we don’t gotta worry about the big rock?”

Knuckles nodded and turned around to face her.

“Right now, we have to worry about getting Perfect Chaos back into its normal state. Rouge.”

She nodded and clapped her hands, getting everyone’s attention.

“Okay! So this is what we’re going to do…”

  
  


* * *

_The red wolf found himself becoming more interested in Shadow the Hedgehog after each meeting in the bookstore. He still found it strange that the dark hedgehog would spend time with him when there were other things he could be doing. Gadget remembered the few times that the G.U.N. agent had received calls during one of their book talks. His orange eyes saw crimson eyes glance at the communicator, but Shadow never answered them. The wolf would tell him that it was fine for him to answer, even leave to take the call outside. But Gadget always received the same answer._

_‘Don’t worry, it’s not important.’_

_He couldn’t help but think that the dark hedgehog thought he was important. Someone thought he was important. Just thinking about it made him smile._

_Thump!_

_Gadget was startled by the heavy book that was slapped onto the table he was currently sitting at. His eyes moved from the book to the person that was sliding the chair to sit on it. Speaking of Shadow, the agent arrived for today’s conversation._

_“H-hey, Shadow!”_

_“Hello, Gadget. How are you today?”_

_“I’m-m good. W-what about you?”_

_“Fine as well.”_

_The wolf noticed the dark circles under those crimson eyes. He also took note of how the hedgehog was slouching in his chair, which was unusual as the agent always sat straight up. And most surprisingly, the agent had a thermos cup in one of his hands this time. After all the weeks of meeting up, Gadget had never seen Shadow bring his own drink. The broody hedgehog had said he preferred his own version of coffee, after expressing his gratitude for each cup during their third meet-up. Something was wrong with the hedgehog._

_“No lying.”_

_“Well, would you look at that, you manage to stop stuttering even more in my presence.”_

_Oh, that definitely garnered a blush out of him. He couldn’t help but think that Shadow was a keen observer, calling him out whenever he didn’t stutter became a game between the two. However, that didn’t matter right now as he knew the hedgehog was trying to change the topic. Gadget released a frustrated sigh._

_“Shadow…”_

_“Hm, another word without stuttering.”_

_“Remember, honest truth.”_

_The striped mobian didn’t say anything this time. No words came from the lips of the dark hero. Gadget continued to stare at the other, sensing his_ _tired state. He glanced down at the thermos cup that the agent brought. He hasn’t touched it at all, Gadget thought. As the other one only stared down at the cover of the heavy book, brooding as always, he grabbed his bag for something that the hedgehog would appreciate instead._

_Leaning forward to place the grey thermos cup next to Shadow, he was startled as he came face to face with the striped-quill hedgehog. Shadow decided to lift his face to look at him just as he placed the cup. Gadget’s breath was caught in his throat, scared of being this close to the hedgehog. Blinking the surprise away, the wolf removed himself from Shadow’s personal space._

_The dark hedgehog just stared at him for a few more seconds before looking at the new thermos cup in front of him. He saw a gloved hand replace the other thermos cup with his own that he always brought for the agent._

_“Thank you, Gadget.”_

_He nodded, a smile returning to his lips._

_“I guess we did promise to be honest with each other…”_

_Shadow sighed as he brought the rim of the cup to his lips. Another surprising thing about their time together is that they managed to share some sense of vulnerability with each other. Something that you would only show to people you would have known for years, but they barely started to share their time together, counting up to be about two months. Yet they were comfortable to talk with each other about some personal things…_

_“G.U.N. has been assigning me more missions as of this week. They want to keep me busy, and sometimes I think it’s because they want to have me supervised.”_

_Gadget frowned at hearing this._

_“Do t-they not t-trust you?”_

_Another sip from the thermos cup._

_“Definitely not. They want to keep me on a leash to make sure I don’t stray again.”_

_The red wolf admired the hedgehog in front of him for devoting his time and effort to helping their home. However, it was upsetting to know that people still regarded the hedgehog with skepticism. After everything Shadow has done for these people, he was still put under heavy scrutiny for his wrongs from when he was released from Prison Island. This was why Gadget refrained from doing something in the city or living there. He would just face pressures from everyone, something he couldn’t handle._

_“T-they’re stup-pid then.”_

_“What?”_

_Gadget avoided the other’s eyes, fidgeting with the corner of a page from his own book. Why did he have to say that?!_

_“I-I think you’re a-a good p-person.”_

_He didn’t dare look up at the hedgehog in front of him, but the silence was killing him, with no response coming from the dark hero. He was about to say something else to make this less awkward than it already was. However, his ears caught the small chuckle coming from across the table._

_“Thank you, Gadget.”_

_Slowly looking up, the red wolf managed to catch a glimpse of fangs from the other’s small chuckle. He grinned as he saw the agent return to better spirits. Not to mention that he was able to get another ‘thank you’ from the agent in one day._

_“A-anytime, Shadow.”_

  
  


* * *

  
  


Gadget found it hard to believe that he could do so much running in one day. First, it was in the city, then they had to get across to the other side to follow the rocky path to Angel Island, and then there was the trip to Miles’ workshop. There was an ache in his muscles, but somehow, he still had energy inside of him. And for this, he was grateful because the moment he caught sight of Shadow on one of Miles’ security cameras, he knew he was going to need all that energy to think of something to distract the other two in the room. 

Before the two fighters could see the footage, he switched it to another channel, pretending to look around the kit’s desk for tools he had mentioned he needed. What was Shadow doing here, the red wolf thought.

“Okay, I think this is it!”

Turning around to face the golden fox, he saw the pink hedgehog look up from her communicator to see the pile of machinery and mechanical parts that the kit had gathered in the center of the room, with some of his help.

“Uh, do you really need all of this, Tails?”

Gadget could see why the female hedgehog asked as he saw the pile. It was _huge_. Some of the parts looked too heavy to carry by hand. But that didn’t matter right now! He needed to stall long enough for Shadow to disappear from the house front yard. Did Shadow forget to tell him this part of the plan…

“It’s everything I need if I’m going to make weapons for the group. I would leave some things, but I don’t know if the other lab would have it there.”

Amy sighed and looked over the pile once more. 

“Alright, I guess I could try calling the others to see if they can send more hands to help…”

“Sure, I’ll just check over any footage from the last hours to see if anyone else popped by the house.”

_Shit._

Gadget needed to act fast. He looked around the workshop to find something to buy him time. Think, Gadget, think!

Orange eyes caught hold of a red, shiny object in one of the tables across the workshop. More importantly, away from the computer. Speed walking to the red object, he decided to ask the young genius about it.

“W-what does t-this d-do?”

Before clever fingers touched the keyboard, the fox turned around to face him. Miles gasped at what he was holding in his hands.

“I totally forgot about that!”

He saw the twin tails of the fox spin as he flew over to where he was standing. He mentally sighed at seeing that he led the young child away from the computer. The kit stood next to him with open hands, asking for the object in his hand. He carefully handed the item over.

“This is something I was working on before…all this happened.”

Gadget heard the small pause that Miles took as he turned the red…what exactly was it?

“W-what is-s it-t?”

“Well, Sonic and I saved these little creatures known as Wisps. Eggman captured them and was going to use them for his robots. After saving them, some of them stuck around here. All Wisps have different abilities that are bestowed upon someone when they enter us.”

“Our-r bodies-s?”

“Yeah! It’s pretty cool!”

Gadget was surprised to hear that such creatures existed! It did sound interesting as far as he heard, but his mind kept reminding him of the real issue. He realized that he would need to figure out a way to see if Shadow has left or not. He only hoped that the agent didn’t need to enter the premises for whatever he was doing here.

“S-so are these b-bas-sed on-n them-m?”

“Yes, I was researching ways to input the Wisps’ energy into a hand device without hurting them. I wanted to build something new for the others to use on the battlefield, but unfortunately, I never got the chance to test them out.”

The red wolf nodded as the genius continued to explain the meaning of the red device.

“For this one, I decided to use the Red Wisp’s energy concerning fire. I have the basic outline for how to input the energy without using the Wisp, but I haven’t been able to figure out how to elongate….”

If he knew a certain agent wasn’t outside, Gadget would actually appreciate the smart fox’s thinking and knowledge to build an efficient, and, but most importantly, a creature-friendly weapon that could be used in their current fight. But things don’t always go as he likes. He kept nodding every time the kit pointed to something on the object, but his mind was thinking about a way to warn Shadow of them being inside the house. Something to tip off the agent without the other two fighters knowing… 

“Tails, I think something’s wrong with my communicator. I can’t get a hold of Rouge.”

He turned around to face the female fighter. She walked towards them without looking up from her communicator. The fox frowned at hearing Amy say this, putting down the red weapon on the table.

“That’s weird, let me take a look at it.”

Amy nodded and unstrapped the communicator from her right wrist. She handed it to Miles. The wolf saw the kit look the device over, probably looking for any damage on the outer surface. He scratched his head for a moment before he spoke up.

“Nothing seems to be broken…hm…”

“Maybe the signal can’t get across due to the distance…”

Gadget saw as the pink hedgehog sat on a stool that stood next to another table in the middle of the workshop. She shrugged as she gave out an idea, but the fox sighed next to him.

“I don’t think so, these communicators were built specifically for those kinds of circumstances. I’ll hook it up to the main computer to see if it’s something internal. Do you want to try with mine?”

Orange eyes saw Miles move over to another computer and set of cables that flowed from it as slithering snakes. He grabbed a long, black wire to connect it to a small port entrance on the communicator. Booting up the computer, he took off his communicator and tossed it in Amy’s direction. 

“Let’s see here…”

Gadget saw the two fighters become occupied in their own tasks, and then that’s when he saw his opportunity. He slowly made his way to the computer that kept security footage of everything that happened around the house. Trying to be as discreet as possible, he leaned on his left elbow, placing his right hand over the mouse. He peeked at the computer from the corner of his eyes, blank screen turning on to the current open program. 

“Wait, do you have Rouge on here?”

Gadget glanced at the pink hedgehog, making sure she hadn't looked in his direction. He sighed as Amy continued to tap on the communicator’s screen, asking Miles another question. Said person didn’t look away from his screen, clicking through several things that his eyes could barely read from where he stood.

“I think so. Try looking under G.U.N. or just call Knuckles.”

“Yeah, no. Knuckles takes forever to answer.”

“That’s true…”

Making sure the duo was still busy with their own things, Gadget saw the current footage of the backyard. Quickly flicking his eyes to click to the next footage screen, the wolf released a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. Shadow was no longer outside. Taking another glance at the duo, the pink hedgehog was still looking for the contact, and Miles was still going through with the other computer screen. Deftly fingers moved across the keyboard to the settings, and just as quick as a blink of an eye, Gadget managed to erase the footage of all the cameras from the last five hours.

“Found her!”

Startled by the loud voice, Gadget returned to look at Amy finally finding what he assumed to be Rouge’s contact. Well, how many contacts did the fox have…

“Come on, Rouge…answer…”

His ears caught the sound of two, barely audible, rings before someone answered.

“Rouge! Listen, it turns out we nee—”

“Am--y….ca--hear--u….w--h….he--”

“Rouge? Can you hear me?”

“C---s….here….Kn---s….”

Gadget frowned as he heard the call line interrupted by static noise. He thought that Amy must have been right about the communicators having a bad connection. A golden fox turned around to hear the conversation as well, at least what they could understand from the female agent.

“They must be losing the signal as they head closer to the island…”

Miles shook his head while signaling to Amy’s communicator.

“No, it can’t be, this has never happened before. There’s also nothing wrong with your communicator, so this must be something else.”

“A--lis…need…hur--help…”

They all froze when they heard the last word. Help? Something wasn’t right.

Amy looked over at the kit while speaking into the communicator.

“Rouge, what’s wrong?”

“---ve…---gy…Per---t...Chaos!”

“Are you being attacked by Chaos?”

Gadget saw the worry written over both fighters’ faces as they heard the few words they could decipher from the call. If Amy was right, they were in big trouble.

“Y---he….Cha---bi….Perfect---”

The call was cut.

“ _Perfect_?”

“This isn’t good…this…we need to move _now_ , Tails!” 

The wolf saw the pink hedgehog move about with a furious speed. He glanced back at the other one in the room, who was powering down everything before he turned in his direction. Gadget saw the worry in sky blue eyes. 

“Come on, I got an idea.”

Gadget followed the younger child to another room, it looked smaller, maybe a storage room of some sort. He glanced around before his eyes landed on what the fox was doing.

“W-what a-are you l-look-king f-for?”

“This!”

The twin-tailed fox quickly turned around to face him, with a pair of boards…Extreme Gear? He looked at the fox and saw a smile. 

“Ever ride one before?”

Gadget could only swallow as he saw the gear, and as the kit headed out, Gadget took a deep breath in before going after the other to join Amy.

* * *

  
  


He realized that, after walking for several minutes, the Doctor must have sent everyone on a mission in the city. The bastard sent them out even if he didn’t present himself, remembering the message the man had sent out to everyone. Infinite knew the Doctor must have assigned someone else his position as the attack was originally planned with him being in charge. He had his suspicions as to who it could be. He sighed as he continued to walk in the direction of the control room, where he most likely would find the evil scientist. 

If he wanted to keep the Doctor on his good side, he needed to gain _all_ of his trust, and somehow expose that _fucking_ agent that continues to prove to be an obstacle in his life. He was still furious in knowing that the hedgehog managed to once again get away with his actions. He could still feel the tingling pain from his chest. He needed another way to expose the agent’s false loyalty and prove his true intentions. He frowned at the idea. The blue hedgehog had been his main source to use against the other, but even the Doctor managed to take that away from him.

Glancing at the approaching room, he prepared to face the Doctor. Placing a hand on the scanner, the jackal closed his eyes and cleared his throat. Walking in, he moved forward and started talking.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Doctor. I wished to apol—”

Heterochromatic eyes blink open to see the room empty. Another sigh came from his mask-covered lips. It seemed that finding the Doctor was going to be more difficult than he thought. Ironic how he thought it was him avoiding him, but now it seems that the roles were reversed. 

The mercenary knew it would be appropriate to leave and keep searching, not wanting to worsen his partnership with the scientist, but he followed his instincts first. And his instincts said that he should take a look around as this was a rare opportunity. The Doctor made sure that no one would be alone in the control room, ordering them all to wait for him to return outside rather than inside. Something about not wanting to have anything moved around or cause any unfortunate accidents with his _hard_ work.

“What kind of work have you been doing, Doctor?”

Taking his time, he walked from every screen that displayed a series of information from the number of robots that were stationed in the ship to the map of Mobius, with some spots being highlighted. _Useless_ , he thought. Turning towards the desk up front, Infinite smiled. 

“Of course, a scientist always has to have _one_ of you.”

Pushing aside the seat, the jackal stood in front of the computer that he hoped held much more _important_ information. He knew the Doctor had plans for this world and all, but even he had to have something hidden away from them. Something that the scientist would keep a secret from them. Something he could use against the man.

Tapping the spacebar, the computer’s screen turned on, and well, would you look at that. The old man forgot to lock it! Scoffing at how the man criticized him when he alone forgot something so simple. To lock away his secrets. Because even now, they were all villains, thinking of the same goal, but looking out for oneself. 

Finding a document opened, he skimmed it, seeing it was just a list of the same places from the earlier map. Nothing too special. He minimized the window, searching for other files. The Doctor’s desktop was filled with endless folders, each named after a robot or such, he guessed. Going down row by row, he saw something that caught his attention.

_Project Dark (CLASSIFIED)_.

Clicking on the folder, a new window popped open, showing multiple files. Each one was named as a numbered entry while others were marked as messages. Making sure his ears picked up no sounds outside the room, he returned his attention back to the computer. Infinite decided to click on a random one. Another window opened to reveal a message.

_Date:_

_June 25, XXXX_

He frowned as he read the date. This project was hundreds of years old. What could the Doctor want with this?

Scrolling down, he continued to read.

_Location:_

_A.R.C.H.E. Space Station_

  
  


_Time:_

_2200 hrs._

  
  


_Area:_

_Sector B-10 (RESTRICTED TO SPECIAL PERSONNEL ONLY)_

  
  


_Subject:_

_LCB-17_

_DCB-05_

  
  


_Recipient:_

_Dr. Peterson_

  
  


_New Message:_

_The test subjects have shown great improvement! It was a difficult decision to make, but deciding to move the testing aboard the space station was the best one we have made by far. I continue to observe the two mobians’ genetic code, exchanging notes with Dr. Lynn. She is a wonderful partner to work with, and she provides her input on how to confront any challenge. There’s still much to learn and analyze, but we hope to have figured out a part of the code. With this, we can move on as you wish, Mr. Peterson._

_However, I would like to address a problem that has come to my mind. Although these creatures are test subjects, surely we can have them interact with one another. They are still young hedgehogs, and having one another as a sort of playmate may help them, mentally. After all, their health should matter above anything else, and I assure you that I would look after them to see that they are not in danger._

_I hope to hear from you soon, Mr. Peterson._

_~ Dr. Kintobor, ID ****133_

  
  


Kintobor? 

Taking a few more moments to think about it, Infinite’s mind put the pieces together. Kintobor spelled backward was _Robotnik_. Did this mean that they were related?

His eyes returned to the second paragraph to make sure of something. Spotting the word, he couldn’t help but smile.

_Hedgehogs_.

The Doctor had plans for _both_ Sonic and Shadow. He was sure of it, but he still needed to learn exactly what those plans were. A beeping came from his wrist. 

The Doctor.

Answering the call, the jackal cleared his throat and waited for the other to answer.

“Where are you?”

“I am heading towards the control room, Doctor. I was hop—”

“I need you here down in the lower division of the ship, Quarter Room 5.”

Clenching his fists at hearing the Doctor interrupt him, he calmed down and responded.

“Of course, I’ll be there, Doctor.”

“Hurry up.”

The scientist ended the call, and Infinite growled at the man’s orders. He would have to get his temper under control if he wanted to continue working for the Doctor. Exiting the recorded message, the jackal closed off all the windows and made sure to maximize the one that was originally on the screen. Taking one final glance, Infinite walked towards the door. He listened carefully for any robots that could be passing by. 

Clear.

He stepped out of the room and looked in both directions. Nothing.

The jackal smirked at the newfound information he was glad he found. Now he knew how to ruin the connection between the Doctor and that hedgehog. He continued to smile all the way to the location the scientist told him to head to.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Damn it!

Shadow released a frustrated sigh. He wanted to make a call to ask Gadget about how the situation was going on his part. Unfortunately, all his calls were not answered, but he knew it wasn’t the wolf’s fault. Even Gadget had to be stealthy if they wanted to keep their covers long enough to get done with this fight. He shoved the small device into his quills, and he decided to look at his communicator on his wrist. He might as well do as the Doctor ordered him, Shadow thought.

Pinpointing Metal’s location, his feet began to run at high speeds, following the well-known path to Holoska. Did the Doctor have a base there? He frowned as he remembered the scientist had previously sent out Zavok to destroy them all, knowing that a certain group of fighters would search for answers.

_Answers_.

His mind drifted back to what happened at Sonic’s home. The screaming. The Ark. The strange feeling of knowing that door. The blinking light. The voice. _Her_ voice. It’s been so long since he heard that voice. Maria’s voice. Her voice didn’t sound scared, instead, she sounded happy to have found him. But for all he knew, that couldn’t be Maria, but a figment of his imagination. He thought he had surpassed the _episodes_ that tormented him at night. Unfortunately, they were back, and this time, they seemed to also affect him while he was awake. Just great, he thought.

He sighed once more, deciding to think of something else. Once more, he tried to remember what the door in front of him was. If it had been a dream, then it must be something he needed to confront as his recent actions have affected his thinking. Or, Shadow thought, it could also be a memory from his earlier years aboard the Ark. Yet, he couldn’t remember ever seeing that specific door or even standing in front of one, but his body shuddered at just thinking about it. It was like his body _did_ recognize it. 

Scowling at his reaction, he decided to push it to the back of his mind, his crimson eyes catching sight of snow-covered land. Once he was a small distance from the village, he looked back at Metal’s coordinates. Shadow sprinted across the snow towards the north. It wasn’t long before he reached an ancient temple, where many of the villagers had once visited many times to find answers to the problems they faced.

He chuckled as he realized that it would be amusing for the temple to give him the answers about his new dream or memory, he still didn't know which it was. He glanced around to find anything that told him of Metal’s whereabouts. He walked further inside the temple, noticing the quiet—

_Boom_!

He rolled his eyes, so much for quiet. Shadow headed towards the sound of the explosion. Then he saw Eggman's robots. What were they doing here?

Shadow’s eyes caught no sign of Metal, but he saw a robot approach him.

“Shadow the Hedgehog, Metal Sonic is waiting for you at the Shrine.”

He nodded at hearing the words, but he noticed the robots walking in the opposite direction. He faced the robot once more.

“What is your mission, here?”

“To destroy Holoska’s village and towns.”

He glanced at the other robots that started to approach the people’s homes.

“What about the people?”

“The Doctor said to let them run in fear.”

Of course, the Doctor wanted to show off before acting on his words.

“I’ll find Metal.”

The robot nodded before it continued on its path down to the main village. Shadow was at least glad that they weren’t going to harm the people, but he still felt angry at knowing that a beautiful place was being wrecked by the Doctor’s mindless machines. He loved this place, especially after visiting so many times with a certain someone.

Turning around, the dark hedgehog headed up towards the top, still wondering what the man would want from here so bad. 

He spotted the doors open and entered to see Metal standing in the center. 

“Metal, I was—”

The blue robotic hedgehog shifted to the side, pointing a weapon at two humans, who were kneeling with fear written in their eyes. 

“I have located the Doctor’s item. We shall proceed to extract it from the Sacred Chest.”

“What item?”

“Something the Doctor wishes to get his hands on.”

Nearing the humans, crimson eyes stared at bright red ones.

“What of the humans?”

Metal stared for a few more seconds before answering.

“Your orders.”

Shadow glanced at the whimpering humans, and then back at Metal. Then at the weapon in the metal hand. He gently shook his head, and Metal lowered it. He walked behind them and whispered one word.

“Run.”

As quick as their feet could go, the humans ran for the exit of the Shrine, cries of fear still echoing through the Shrine’s walls. He moved towards the Sacred Chest, a large intricate designed chest, noticing it was the size of a large bed. It wasn’t tall, he thought. What could be hidden inside?

Metal approached him and pointed a device, connected to one of his metallic arms, at the edge of the chest. A laser beam shot out and started to break open the sealed structure. Shadow watched as the blue robot circled the chest. After a few minutes, he stopped and looked at him.

“We need to remove the top.”

Shadow grunted and headed to one side of the chest. Metal stood on the opposite end, and with a nod, both pushed the top off the chest until it fell over. A cloud of dust rose from the impact. Shadow swatted it away. He looked inside, surprised to find that it was deeper than he originally thought. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness inside, but his eyes widened at what hid inside.

“The _Master Emerald_?”

“Affirmative. The Doctor sent me to retrieve it.”

“I thought it was hidden on Angel Island…”

“Negative. Knuckles the Echidna hid the emerald here, in hopes that the Doctor would not find it.”

“But…how—”

“We need to leave, now.”

Before Shadow could question the robot further, the blue machine was heading down the chest to get a hold of the green emerald. With his internal boosters, Metal flew upwards, nodding at the agent. 

Without another word, the robot flew out of the Shrine and what Shadow guessed, in the direction of the Doctor’s ship. He sprinted out and saw the robot disappear into the now dark sky. He heard screaming and cries come from the crowds of humans and mobians that were running away from the robotic machines. His eyes caught sight of homes on fire and smoke rising. But his mind was too busy thinking of one thing.

Doctor Eggman has the Master Emerald. 

Doctor Eggman has the Master Emerald.

Doctor Eggman has the _Master Emerald_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter:
> 
> We finally get to see what happens on Angel Island! Plus, we learn more of Knuckles' worries for Sonic, and let's not forget that Extreme Gear!
> 
> Say what now? The Doctor has the Master Emerald, and this could mean that the situation is getting out of Shadow's hand. He warns Gadget of this and hopes he can speed up the Resistance's efforts to fight.
> 
> Infinite just got a hold of some secrets that Eggman's been hiding. The jackal is going to have fun dangling this in front of the Doctor, without him even knowing. Also, we find out what Eggman wants Sonic to do after the last chapter showing that he was going to cooperate for now.
> 
> Remember to read the blog! Some juicy details are on there to help you connect some or a few dots. Hope to hear some of your ideas/theories! :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to see what happens on Angel Island! Plus, we learn more of Knuckles' worries for Sonic, and let's not forget that Extreme Gear!
> 
> Say what now? The Doctor has the Master Emerald, and this could mean that the situation is getting out of Shadow's hand. He warns Gadget of this and hopes he can speed up the Resistance's efforts to fight.
> 
> Infinite just got a hold of some secrets that Eggman's been hiding. The jackal is going to have fun dangling this in front of the Doctor, without him even knowing. Also, we find out what Eggman wants Sonic to do after the last chapter showing that he was going to cooperate for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know how A.R.C.H.E. Space Station looks like, check out the blog! I also recommend looking into this website for more information on Chaos Borns (Chaos War was updated as of yesterday): https://samth1700.wixsite.com/chaosborns 
> 
> By the way, does the name (A.R.C.H.E.) remind you of anything....
> 
> Also here's the blog if you want to check it out: https://that-one-person-022.tumblr.com/

_About 50 years ago…_

_Somewhere, amongst the shining stars, a man, with one of the brightest minds, continued to stare at the screen that displayed the vitals of the creature he worked hard to produce. After checking everything was fine, the old man turned around to face the glass tube. He sighed at seeing how well his research progressed and the likable results it generated. Soon, he would be able to give the president what he wanted, and most importantly, he would be able to use the blood to cure his granddaughter, Maria._

_Walking up to the glass tube, he looked at the hedgehog that floated in the green substance. He remembered how his granddaughter asked him earlier about the hedgehog’s state as she always did every day. He warned her that this project was unsafe for a child like her to be around it, but Maria was never one for listening to his warnings. No, he thought, she was curious to know what happened around the Ark. Being the only child among grown-ups must have been hard for her, always sticking to his side when she visited him, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that her young eyes caught sight of the new project._

_Project Shadow._

_Recruited by the president himself, Gerald figured that as long as he created what was asked of him, he could co-opt his plans for finding a cure for Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Maria’s disease was something that even he had difficulty finding a cure for, but with Project Shadow’s promising results for the original objective, he hoped to have found an answer to the disease as well._

_He frowned thinking about the purpose of this project. To find an immortality formula. At first, Gerald hesitated in leading the project, finding the purpose to be something humanity should not question, or worse, have their hands play with. Immortality…_

_Gerald found it ludicrous that humans were still blind to chase after something that caused a mass obliteration of a whole species and millions of their own kind’s death many centuries ago. He remembered how shocked he was when he stumbled upon journals and records that spoke of beings capable of doing unworldly things. Beings that were able to use chaos energy. It took him days before his mind could finally wrap itself around this finding. It just seemed impossible! But now, he knew that wasn’t so anymore, not after creating the Ultimate Lifeform. The dark hedgehog that was encased in the glass tube was proof of that, and the living hope that Gerald intended to use to save Maria. Yet, the brilliant scientist couldn’t help but worry for the future of this world._

  
  


* * *

  
  


The red echidna gritted his teeth as he wiped away the sweat from his forehead. Rouge managed to carry him the closest she could to the altar. Now, he was standing on top of a small boulder, watching below as the rush of water flowing throughout the green sparse of trees and shrubs. It wasn’t deep, but it was enough for Chaos to use to its advantage.

Knuckles looked up to see the water creature some distance ahead, close enough to the altar. Frowning at his earlier slip-up, Rouge managed to figure him out and knew he was lying. Amethyst eyes softened at seeing Perfect Chaos’ current state. Deep down, the echidna knew that the angry being was never like this unless something had triggered it into transforming. The chaos emeralds were out of the equation since he knew where one of the seven was. After Sonic and him had gone out to hide the Master Emerald, they also decided to hide a chaos emerald, for any possible situation in which something like this would have happened. The other six remained hidden under someone Sonic had said he trusted fully. It would be _too_ dangerous for the Doctor to have all of them. Even so, Chaos would still need a large amount of negative energy. The guardian didn’t know what else could give out a large amount of dark chaos energy.

Unless… 

It wasn’t something but _someone_. Would Eggman really go to extreme measures to… 

“Knuckles, come in.”

Rouge’s voice came through the communicator.

“What did you find?”

“Well, it looks like the big guy is definitely determined to find that beautiful gem of yours.”

“Good thing it’s not here then.”

It looked like Eggman wasn’t going to get his hands on the Master Emerald, glad in choosing to seal the large emerald somewhere the man wouldn’t think twice of looking in. 

“However, I did find something interesting.”

He perked up hearing the female bat.

“What is it?”

“Well, you see, that’s what I don’t know. There seems to be something glowing from its brain.”

Knuckles looked up at Perfect Chaos, squinting his eyes to see what Rouge was talking about. And there it was, almost missing it, the faint glow of a stone he knew too well. 

“It’s a Chaos Drive.”

“What’s a Chaos Drive?”

Before he answered his lover’s question, another voice piped up to their surprise.

“Crystallized stones that are made up of pure chaos energy, and if they come into contact with any sort of tissue, then they can transfer all that energy to the person.”

“Well, well. It was about time you’d show up.”

“Sorry, Rouge, we had technical difficulties with the communication line, but we can now _see_ the reason for it.”

Knuckles was glad to know that the kit was alright, knowing he knew how to take care of himself, but still he was his family. He looked around to see how the kid was able to get a visual of the stone. Last he remembered, the X Tornado was still being repaired.

“Where exactly are you, Tails?”

“Oh! It turns out Extreme Gear is useful for other things besides racing. Heads up, Knuckles!”

Heads up?

A swooshing sound could be heard behind him. His eyes caught sight of two approaching figures on boards. Tails and Amy. They came to stop next to him. Tails waved at him, and Amy had a big smile on her face.

“Oh, hey Knuckles! Sorry, we took so long. We had to drop off Tails’ friend back with the others.”

Knuckles nodded at Amy’s explanation, remembering that the duo had left with a third member towards the fox’s workshop. The kitsune looked over the water creature and back at him, scowling at their problem.

“Chaos was able to transform with just _one_ drive?”

The echidna sighed and scratched his left cheek. Even Tails knew this was quite disturbing, if only one Chaos Drive was capable of turning Chaos, then they were in big trouble.

“I also don’t know how that’s possible. It would usually require many more drives to cause this sort of transformation.”

Tails frowned, and Knuckles’ body became tense at seeing the calculative look on the kitsune’s face. The last thing the guardian wanted was to worry the younger one even more. For all he knew, the kit thought that Eggman just captured Sonic for show, not knowing that the man was capable of doing more than just that with their best friend.

Rouge’s voice broke their silence.

“Are you done sharing hugs and kisses, down there, because I could really use your help with this guy.”

The red echidna spoke into the communicator as he gestured for Tails to make room for him on the board.

“We’re coming up.”

Getting his footing right on the board, he nodded for Tails to fly over the large beast, and Amy followed behind them.

* * *

  
  
  


The red wolf saw the towering, blue creature that kept swatting at what was Angel Island. It turned out that Perfect Chaos made its way onto the island before the others arrived. He was worried that the massive beast was going to obtain the Master Emerald, but seeing that the island was not floating and Miles explaining to him some parts, the giant stone was not there. It turned out that the red guardian had hidden the stone somewhere else, far away from the scientist's hands. He frowned at thinking this. So does this mean that the Doctor doesn’t know about the Master Emerald’s hiding spot, he thought. Even though the group was left to fight this creature, he knew that, at least, they were a step ahead of the Doctor.

“Man, I didn’t see this comin’!”

His ears twitched at hearing the green crocodile speak up. Team Chaotix was left to attend to the safety of the crowd of mobians while the others took care of Perfect Chaos.

“Maybe we should give ‘em a hand!”

In his peripheral vision, Gadget saw a young bee excitedly flap his wings, but a large hand grabbed at the tail end of his right shoe. It took a moment for the bee to notice that he wasn’t moving forward, groaning as a result.

“Oh, no we don’t! The gang left us here to help these people, so we keep our feet here.”

“But, Vector! We should be helpin’ up there!”

“Listen to Vector, Charmy. We are still helping by giving our services to protect these people. Remember that.”

Gadget saw the bee grumble before sitting down on the ground, after hearing Espio’s words. It was strange to see someone so young be _happy_ with fighting, in what he assumes to be, a huge problem. He averted his gaze back to the island, catching sight of two new flyers in the sky, circling the beast. He glanced down at the red weapon that Miles had given him to hold onto. While admiring the red object, getting to see it up closer, the wolf noticed a small blinking light emitting from the underside of his watch.

Shadow.

He needed to take this call; it was time to share more information between the two. Glancing around to see that the Chaotix Team was talking among themselves while pointing a finger in the fight’s direction, he moved further down the crowd. Orange eyes caught sight of a tree, not far from the group, but enough to give him privacy. 

Positioning himself to face away from the crowd, he unstrapped his ‘watch’ and turned it over. The wolf placed his thumb on the surface, and a small scanner read over his fingerprint. The screen blinked once more and faded to show a small icon, alerting of the incoming call. He clicked on it.

“Gadget…”

He sighed, relief washing over his body at hearing the agent’s voice.

“Shadow, we need to talk. Chaos—”

“He has the Master Emerald.”

Gadget stopped at hearing Shadow’s words, and then he peeked over his shoulder to see the ongoing fight with Perfect Chaos. 

“No, that’s not possible. Perfect Chaos can’t find the Master Emerald—”

“Wait, _Perfect Chaos_?”

“Yeah, either way, he won’t find it here. It’s hidden somewhere off A—”

“Angel Island. Yes, I know. The echidna hid it in the Shrine, located in Holoska.”

“Wait, how’d you know? Miles mentioned that only Knuckles and Sonic knew about it.”

Silence. The wolf was starting to worry.

“That bastard. It was all a fucking diversion!”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Doctor sent us all out to destroy a location, but it seems that Chaos was sent out to Angel Island to distract you all. He set this up. It seems that he has the upper hand by more than I originally thought.”

“So…Perfect Chaos won’t find it, here?”

“No, and aside from that, Chaos had left in his normal state. So how did the Doctor _even_ get it to transform?”

“I don’t know, but Shadow, we need to move this forward or we won’t be able to finish the mission.”

The wolf heard a sigh, knowing the stress that this must be adding on top of all the agent’s frustration and worry.

“Okay, look the Master Emerald is in the Doctor’s hands, but the chaos emeralds are still out there. You need to make sure that you calm down Chaos, and _immediately_ , move on to looking for those emeralds. It’s the only way to delay the Doctor.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best. Do you have any suggestions on how to defeat it?”

“Chaos’ perfect form is stronger than any of the others, but the main thing about it is that it has a large amount of negative energy. So, since the Doctor doesn’t have the chaos emeralds, the only thing that I know of that could transfer energy is Chaos Drives. It will most likely be found on Chaos’ brain since tissues are what the drives can affect easily. Find it and eliminate it. That should weaken his form.”

“Alright, I can work with that, but what about you?”

“I-If Chaos transformed, then that means the Doctor has a source to give him that negative energy and all I know is that I need to get back to the ship.”

“You think it’s Sonic?”

“I…I don’t know, but I need to find out.”

“Yeah, um, can you just give me coordinates on the other places the Doctor planned to attack?”

“I’ll send them to you. And Gadget?”

“Yeah?”

“Please be careful. K-keep an eye o-on the fox kid.”

Gadget’s lips formed a small smile at what Shadow was trying to say. It seems that the hedgehog now has a stuttering problem.

“I understand...be safe, Shadow.”

The call ended.

The red wolf knew this was a dangerous mission from the beginning, but he had hoped that the hedgehog’s and his communication would bring down the Doctor in some of his plans. A ping came from the device in his hands. A list of all the coordinates that Eggman had sent out to attack. Flipping the device over, Gadget placed it faced up, disguised as a regular watch. He turned around to face Angel Island and jogged over to the team of detectives to enact his plan to help defeat Chaos.

* * *

  
  
_4 months before Eggman’s attack…_

_Knock, knock._

_Gloved hands stopped their movements, and sky blue eyes switched their gaze from the half-filled glass of water to the front door. He didn’t remember about any visitors coming over for today. Placing the glass on the kitchen counter, Tails crossed the kitchen entrance._

_Knock, knock._

_This time it was louder. He was walking by the staircase that led to the second floor of the house, listening to hear nothing but silence. Sonic hadn’t got out for his usual run in the morning, and Tails had his suspicions that it was due to the stressful week they recently had, filled with multiple battles with a certain doctor’s robots. However, there was never a sign of the Doctor himself._

_Opening the door, the fox was surprised to see Shadow standing there. The dark agent was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and a familiar scowl on his face. Tails remembered how tense he always got when Sonic and him were in the same room, but it appeared that the two hedgehogs were on good terms now._

_“Hey, Shadow!”_

_The dark hedgehog nodded._

_“Hello, Miles. Is Sonic here?”_

_“Yeah, he’s actually sleeping right now. Did you need something?”_

_“I was hoping to talk to him about a lead G.U.N. has on the Doctor.”_

_“Oh! Well, I can wake him up for you if it’s important.”_

_The fox was about to head back inside to wake his brother, but Shadow spoke up._

_“No, it’s alright. I’ll come by later then.”_

_This time the fox was the one to stop him._

_“Or… you could wait for him, inside. He’ll probably wake up soon…”_

_He smiled at the still scowling hedgehog. Sky blue eyes looked at crimson ones, and Tails thought he saw them softened up a little. Maybe he was the one that needed to rest, the kitsune thought. A few seconds later, and Shadow sighed._

_“Very well. In that case, I would like to know if you could take a look at my rocket shoes, too.”_

_Opening the door more for the hedgehog to walk in, Tails closed the door behind him and walked over to the kitchen._

_“Sure, would you like a glass of water or something?”_

_“I’m fine.”_

_Tails took his glass and reappeared in the living room, where the striped mobian stood. He gestured for the other to follow him into his workshop._

_“Not to sound rude or anything, but don’t you have engineers or people at G.U.N. to take a look at them?”_

_They entered the brightly lit room, and a hand motioned for the G.U.N. agent to take a seat at a stool that stood nearby a table, piled with papers on top of papers. Shadow walked towards the seat and removed each shoe. Tails placed the glass on a flat surface, then approached the hedgehog to take the footwear._

_“Yes…”_

_Grabbing the rocket shoes, the golden kitsune noticed how they didn’t weigh as much as he thought they did. He walked over to another table and looked them over for any damage on the outside._

_“I just don’t trust them with my things.”_

_Small hands froze at hearing at what he assumed to be the dark hedgehog’s way to say that he trusted him. Trusted him to do something with the pair of rocket shoes that were one of the few things left from his past in the Ark._

_“Oh.”_

_Not knowing what else to say, he decided to ask the agent about any specific issues he’s been having with them._

_“Is there something specific you would like me to look at?”_

_“Hm…the lower thrusters on the left shoe do not provide the same force as the others.”_

_“Okay, let’s take a look!”_

_Silence filled the air between the two as the inventor continued to work on the left shoe, figuring out the problem. His ears perked as he heard the shuffling of papers behind him, he mentally slapped himself for having his workshop in such a mess, worrying that the dark mobian was judging him for his lack of organization. Tails wasn’t necessarily afraid of Shadow, but he did think the hedgehog was kind of intimidating and serious about everything. Also, for some reason, he cared much for the other’s opinion, which was something unusual as he only cared about Sonic’s. His thoughts were pushed away as his eyes caught the problem. He smiled and started to fix it._

_A couple of minutes later, the kitsune was finishing up the last fixture on the thrusters. He looked both shoes over, thinking of giving them a paint job. They could really use one, the young genius thought._

_“Hey, Shadow, do you want me to—”_

_He was turning around to face said person, but he stopped as he saw the hedgehog looking at a pair of papers in his gloved hands. He swallowed as the agent’s eyes scanned what he believed to be some sketches on his recent idea for an effective tool._

_Taking slow steps, he gripped his tails as he approached the agent. Once more, it escaped his mind how nervous he was at knowing that the other was looking at his things, criticizing his work. Maybe he could turn the attention away from those papers…_

_“Uh… so do you want—”_

_“Did you make these?”_

_“Uh-h y-yeah…why?”_

_The hedgehog’s hands shifted the papers once more before neatly stacking them together in a pile. Crimson eyes turned to look at him. He gulped, waiting for any harsh response._

_“Not bad, kid.”_

_“W-what?”_

_The hedgehog raised an eyebrow, repeating his words._

_“I said not bad. Now, I understand why Sonic talks so highly of you.”_

_Tails was speechless. Not only did the agent compliment him, but his brother also seemed to praise him, even when he wasn’t present. He suddenly felt a rush of warmth heat up his cheeks._

_“O-oh…uh… thank you?”_

_The agent grunted and stood up to head to his rocket shoes. His eyes followed the hedgehog, and it took him a moment to shake away the…happy…feeling._

_“Oh! I was going to ask if you wanted me to give them a paint job.”_

_“Hm, would that be a bother?”_

_“O-of course, not! It won’t take too long to apply the paint, but the drying process might. Is that alright?”_

_“I don’t see why not, meanwhile you can show me how that invention of yours works.”_

_Shadow pointed at something across the workshop, taking his time to admire everything around him. As for Tails, he could only smile at finding some comfort in what his brother’s rival asked of him._

_~~~~_

_“Hey, Tails…”_

_A yawning blue hedgehog walked down the last steps of the staircase, turning to the kitchen. Tails giggled at his brother’s bedhead._

_“How was your nap?”_

_The blue hero shrugged as he opened the fridge, probably looking for food, the kitsune thought._

_“Shadow came by earlier.”_

_Thump!_

_The golden fox jumped at hearing his brother bump his head on the fridge._

_“Are you okay?!”_

_The cobalt speedster rubbed at his head, frowning at the news._

_“Shadow was here? Why didn’t you wake me up?!”_

_Tails scowled at the rude behavior, walking to put his dish in the sink._

_“We didn’t want to wake you up.”_

_“But...but…”_

_Seeing his older brother’s shoulders slump and the forming pout, he smirked. He still couldn’t believe his brother was able to fight off robots and evil space creatures, but the guy couldn’t confront his feelings for the black hedgehog._

_“Did you want a goodbye hug?”_

_Sonic’s head spun just as quick as his gifted feet, narrowing his emerald eyes in his direction._

_“What the...Tails why would you say that?!”_

_“Yeah, you’re right, you also need a kiss.”_

_“Really?!”_

_The kitsune laughed at seeing his brother’s flustered state, definitely confirming his assumptions, but still, he calmed down and shook his head._

_“You need to tell him, Sonic.”_

_“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”_

_“Whatever you say.”_

_Before he headed out of the kitchen and into his workshop, he heard the other say something._

_“W-what did he want?”_

_Tails paused and sent him a smirk over his shoulder._

_“Oh, you know, what’s your favorite place for a date…”_

_“D…date?”_

_It took Sonic ten whole seconds for him to figure out that he was joking. More laughter erupted from him as peach-colored skin turned bright red._

_“Tails!”_

_The fox knew that Sonic saw this as teasing, but Tails was now looking forward to the day that his brother would admit his feelings for his dark rival. He smiled at the idea of having another person to share his interests with…_

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


Coughing came from the kneeling blue hedgehog. The Doctor sighed and walked back to his seat at the front of the room.

“Now, I thought you said you would be compliant, hedgehog.”

The shivering form of Sonic the Hedgehog scooted away from his robots. He narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything. He had gotten some _valuable_ information out of the blue pest. However, it took some convincing because it turned out that the Hero of Mobius was determined to keep shut, not giving answers to his questions.

“ _Fuck_ _you_.”

“Oh, my! Have I upset you?”

His ears picked up on the growling, the man grinned at hearing the nonverbal answer, finding nothing wrong with almost drowning him in the container of water.

The hero’s gaze lifted itself from the ground to his, catching the menacing hate behind those _darker_ emerald eyes. He wasn’t afraid, no, because he took pleasure in getting this reaction from the animal. It was... _satisfying_. 

“If you don’t want to be shoved in that container again, I suggest you start answering my questions willingly.”

No response. 

“Where are the chaos emeralds?”

Sonic didn’t answer, but those eyes didn’t waver either. Annoying brat.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Nothing.

He sighed and stood up. Even if it was entertaining to watch the hedgehog wither and cry, he knew that the others would be back soon, and he would need to return the pest to his cell for him to continue his plans outside. He might be a genius, but he could only do so much. Besides, the scientist couldn’t leave this task to someone else. _He_ needed to do this in order to get what he wanted. 

“I’ll ask you one more time. Where are the chaos emeralds?”

Still silence. 

He guessed that the hero would only talk through the hard way. He peered down at the blue form for a few seconds before ordering his robots.

“Dump him.”

The reaction was immediate.

The speedster scurried to get away from the metallic arms, but like all the other times, he was too slow. The robot reached out for the azure quills, yanking him back into his hold. Whimpers came from the peach lips as the hero reached out to pull the hand away. It was useless. Once more, the hedgehog began to hyperventilate as the Doctor’s large robot approached the water container. The Doctor didn’t care, should not care, because he wasn’t _him_ anymore…

“No, no, no!”

“Tell me where they are.”

The robot paused. He caught the hedgehog’s pleading gaze, but flashes of other memories came to mind.

“I-I don’t-t know!”

Eggman scoffed, knowing that the hedgehog was clearly lying.

“Do you take me for a fool?”

“I s-swear! I don-n’t know!”

“You ha—”

“I dispersed them when I untransformed!”

He listened to the hedgehog, remaining unaffected by the struggles of the other to have the metallic fingers let go of him. He never took the hedgehog to be a good liar, but then again, he must have mastered it when he bec—

“Please! Eggman, you gotta believe me! I don’t know where they are!”

The Doctor rubbed his temple and turned to face away from the hero. He continued to hear the small whimpers that would escape the mobian. Hearing them, a headache began to form. All this made him feel…upset. He needed to finish this. Clasping his hands behind his back, he spun around to face his problem. But first… 

“Well, if that’s the case…”

He saw a flicker of hope in those eyes.

“...let’s make you remember.”

A nod was all it took for the robot to continue forward with the hedgehog in his hand.

“Wait-t! No! Pleas—”

The cobalt hero’s begging was cut short by the robot shoving him inside the water tank. Before the mobian could reach the top, it was secured with a latch, keeping the hedgehog trapped inside it. As the robot moved aside, the genius approached the tank. He had the bright idea of making it transparent, so now, he was watching the desperation on the rodent’s face. The fear swirling in those emerald _flickering_ eyes. Clenched fists pounded at the glass as if the brat thought he could break it. 

“If I was able to get the Master Emerald’s location out of you, the chaos emeralds’ would not be a problem. It’s just a matter of _forcing_ it out the right way, too.”

He raised his right wrist, finding the right contact.

“Where are you?”

“I am heading towards the control room, Doctor. I was hop—”

He smirked.

“I need you here down in the lower division of the ship, Quarter Room 5.”

“Of course, I’ll be there, Doctor.”

“Hurry up.”

His fingers clicked on the red button, ending the call with Infinite. He hummed at hearing the jackal lie through his teeth once more. He had set up that masked mercenary, having his room unsupervised and the computer unlocked. Now, he would just need for him to make the wrong move, and then, he could use him for _that_. 

Observing that some time passed by, he looked over to the water tank. The drowning victim was becoming unconscious, going by the half-lidded eyes and weak pounding. He nodded for the robot to take him out. Let’s try this one more time, he thought.

The hedgehog was taken out and thrown to the Doctor’s feet. Coughing up the water that almost made its way to lungs, the Doctor cleared his throat.

“Where are the chaos emeralds?”

“I d-don’t…kno-ow…”

“If you don’t give me the location, I’ll send Shadow to finish the fox boy.” 

“No! Not-t Tail-ls! Pl-leas-se!”

With the hedgehog dripping wet from head to toe, he couldn’t differentiate if that was water or tears sliding down his face. Although with the threat of hurting the child, he believed it to be the latter. He closed the distance between Sonic and him, kneeling to grab at the hero’s chin. The azure flinched away from his hold, but he only tightened it, forcing an emerald gaze to look at his. Peach arms didn’t try to push him away instead they lied limped on the hedgehog’s sides. All the agonizing pain was exhausting the hedgehog, and with those chains around him, the man knew that chaos energy coursing through the other’s body was not helping either. Throughout their interrogation, sharp eyes had soon caught onto the sight of the smallest of cracks on those rings, signifying that the hero was starting to break. He needed to continue pushing those buttons to make him turn—

“Doctor Eggman.”

Another interruption. Without taking his sight off the cobalt form, he ordered for the robot that stood by the room’s entrance to speak up quickly.

“What now?”

“Metal Sonic has arrived with the Master Emerald.”

Quivering green eyes widened at hearing the news. His blue robot had managed to secure the guardian’s stone from Holoska just as the hero had said it would be. He wondered how his _friends_ were dealing with Chaos. 

“What of Chaos?”

“It appears that Chaos remains on Angel Island.”

He had sent out the water creature to be the distraction for Metal to extract the emerald. Knowing that Chaos alone would not be enough, he had sent out one of his robots to deliver a _present_ . Something that was presented to him by a _partner_ of his from another dimension. He was surprised that the individual had given him the drive, filled with _negative_ energy, but they had explained that it was a form of showing how he was devoted to helping the Doctor. 

A door sliding open reminded him about the jackal he ordered to come. Finally, he thought, let’s move this show forward. Green eyes glanced at the approaching mercenary. The Doctor heard the rapid breathing of the hedgehog, another sign of fear under the presence of his predator. 

“Well, now that our guest is here, let’s begin the encore. Grab him.”

Large metal hands grabbed the hedgehog, restraining him as he turned around to face the mercenary.

“Angel Island, show it to him.”

Infinite nodded and created the dimensional window that would allow them to see Angel Island without being physically there. Just another beautiful thing about the Phantom Ruby…

In a matter of seconds, their surroundings transformed from the room they stood to the wildlife of the beautiful island. However, it wouldn’t be long before it turned into a destroyed land as they took in the sight of Perfect Chaos attacking it. 

“W-what…”

Smiling at getting the cobalt’s attention, he faced him and wiggled his pointer finger in his direction, as if he was getting the hedgehog in trouble.

“I thought it was time we took a glance at what your _friends_ are dealing with…”

“N-no…y-you…C-chaos…No!”

The Doctor’s eyes saw as the hedgehog tried to wriggle out of the robot’s grasp, snarling at it, but it was no use. He walked around the captured hero, observing the ends of quills fade to a darker shade of blue. He was close, the Doctor thought.

“If you want those pests to survive this fight, tell me where the chaos emeralds are, and _maybe_ I’ll tell Chaos to let them be…”

“Liar! Y-you’re l-lying!”

“Would you like me to pinkie promise you, then?”

“Fuc-cking leav-ve them-m out o-of this-s!”

“Tell me the location then.”

“A-argh!”

Hands held to his side by robotic hands, the hero shook his head violently, yelling for his friends. Let’s push it further… 

Making eye contact with Infinite across the room, he nodded and saw a faint mist surround the scene. The hero did not notice the trap, too busy trying to release himself from the cold grip on him. 

“Are you willing to see your friends die for the emeralds, my what kind of _hero_ are you, Sonic?”

“I don’t-t believe y-you! T-this another-r lie! A t-trick!”

He shrugged and motioned, with a tilt of the head, to the ongoing battle. More specifically, two fighters on a Extreme Gear board. They were too near the water being, as the others tried to distract it away from the two. He watched as the echidna and fox went for the top, most likely aiming for the head. 

“Does it matter if it’s a lie or not, you are still confessing to giving up your _brother_ for stones.”

The flying duo shifted away from a water tentacle, readjusting their position in the air. 

“S-shut up! I...I would n-never do that!”

“Oh, Sonic…I thought you were better than this…it seems you don’t get to say goodbye to your best friends in person.”

Just feet away from attacking the covered brain, Perfect Chaos swatted away the others with a newly formed tentacle and facing the child and echidna. 

The Doctor saw as the hero watched in horror as his best friends were snatched from the air, the beast roaring at the two victims. 

“Tails! Knuck-kles! NO!”

Before Perfect Chaos exerted any harm to the two, the hedgehog yelled something that made the Doctor happy.

“Spagonia! Sp-pagonia! Stop C-chaos! **NOW**!”

That voice. The Doctor remembered that voice. He needed to hear it again to make sure it was _his_ voice.

“Well…”

“ **IVO! DO IT!"**

That deep and commanding voice…

A voice that the Doctor had known once to be quite the opposite… 

It had been so long since he last heard it, but… 

But everyone changes when they lose everything, and it appeared that the hedgehog is finally showing his true colors, the real _him_ ….

“Of course, _Sonny_.”

Eggman knew it was risky, but he still did it. Just to see if it meant anything to the blue hedgehog. To his surprise, the blue speedster only gave him a frown, as if he spoke of a despicable thing. 

Facing one of his robots, he ordered for them to quickly disengage the drive from Chaos’ mind. As it did as it was told, the window slowly faded once more, having the room’s thick and gray walls return.

The hallucination of seeing his friends almost die was something the Doctor knew would cause the hedgehog to react quickly. The love and protection he held for those mobians was something he knew he could use against him. He had only seen this sort of behavior from him once, long ago, when Sonic loved and protected his equal. His _mate_.

Sighing, the Doctor glanced at the Phantom Ruby on the jackal’s chest and then at heterochromatic eyes. 

“The Master Emerald’s here, so let’s move onto the next phase.”

The masked mercenary gave a nod before walking towards the door, stopping to wait for the Doctor to join him. Walking towards the door, he stopped in front of the restrained hero, noticing how quiet he had gotten after speaking that _name_. Ironic, really, because speaking had once caused a different reaction from the cobalt mobian. Not wanting to go down that memory lane, Eggman cleared his throat, glancing down once more before walking up to the door, where the jackal still stood.

“Leave him inside until he grows unconscious.”

One second later, the screaming began again, but the Doctor was already walking down the hall, away from the pain he was starting to have a hard time ignoring.

* * *

“Go left!”

“Knuckles, we are not getting any closer to it! We need a change of plans!”

The red echidna heard Rouge’s voice through the communicator, stating the obvious. They were getting nowhere with the large creature. Besides having large tentacles, Perfect Chaos managed to chase them away with oncoming waves and unfocused shots of energy from its core. It turned out that the Chaos Drive could only do so much with the energy it contained, after all, it was no chaos emerald. So, not everything was a loss. Tails spoke up from in front.

“Rouge’s right. Our gear is not fast enough to let us approach the brain.”

“So we attack from afar? How the hell will we do that?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out, usually Sonic is the one with the ideas on how to go fast.”

Apart from their current predicament, Knuckles still worried about their blue friend. Having him be under Eggman’s hands and lackeys, disturbed him _a lot_. Sure, the Hero of Mobius was one of the strongest persons, but that strength often came with a price. A strength that the fastest thing alive had as a young child which also disturbed the echidna. All his life, protecting the Master Emerald and reading whatever he could from his ancestors, he had never encountered a being like Sonic. He had thought it strange how the hedgehog was able to control chaos energy, something that was bestowed only upon righteous living forms, by the creature they were currently fighting. But then again, Shadow was never actually born with the ability either. He was created by mad scientists like the Doctor. He frowned as he considered this. Now that he thinks about it, they were the only ones capable of controlling chaos energy. 

“Fellas, I’m thinkin’ you outta hear this!”

Vector’s voice came through the communicator. Tails gave him a questioning look. 

“What is it?”

“This guy believes he knows how to take care of your problem.”

“Who?” 

“It’s…wait, what’s your name, again?”

“Just give him the communicator, Vector.”

“I don’t know, the guy is a stutterin’ mess, Esp.”

Knuckles growled at hearing the sidetracked crocodile.

“ _Vector…_ ”

“Alright, alright, I’m passin’ it!”

“Um…can-n y-you hear-r me?”

Sheesh, Vector wasn’t kidding. However, the kitsune, in front of him, turned his head to face him, with a bright smile.

“It’s Gadget! Here take over the board, I’ll talk to him.”

Switching roles, Knuckles moved to the front of the board while Tails scooted to the back. Having his own communicator, Knuckles didn’t need to pass his communicator, instead, he had to focus on where to fly. 

“Gadget, it’s me, Tails! What do you have?”

“W-well, I-I think-k I have a s-sol-lution…”

“For defeating Chaos?”

“Y-yes…”

Knuckles grunted, scowling at how this guy could have any idea on how to defeat Chaos. He already wasn’t liking the idea… 

Gesturing to the fox to mute the microphone, he spoke about the unlikeliness of having someone else solve the problem for them.

“May I remind you that we’re the only ones that have dealt with Chaos before. What could this guy know about changing him back?”

The echidna heard no response behind him, thinking he made his point, but the golden furred fox spoke in a tone he only ever heard Sonic talk to him in.

“Well, you were the one who said how the _hell_ we were going to do this, meaning we’re open to _any_ ideas.”

“Has your brother taught you to talk like that?”

“Knuckles, I might be a kid, but with everything I went through, I think I can say that I have matured enough to handle these things.”

Knuckles wasn’t facing the younger one, but he knew all too well that he was giving him a frown.

Sighing, knowing that the kit was right about that, he waved for him to continue with the other’s suggestion.

“Alright, Gadget, here’s what we know. Chaos has a stone that’s semi-buried in his mind, located at the top, allowing him to completely transform into his current form.”

“A C-chaos Drive?”

The guardian’s eyes widened at hearing Tails’ friend talk about something he was pretty sure that a select few knew about. Who was this guy, again?

“Yeah! Do you know them?”

“I-I have r-read ab-bout them b-before…”

“That’s great, so this won’t be hard to understand. So, what did you have in mind?”

“Y-you cannot-t get cl-lose to it-t right-t?”

“Right! We decided on attacking from the distance rather than up close, but we still haven’t figured out what to use…”

“W-well, this-s can-n be a p-perfect-t time t-to use t-the w-weapon…”

Another surprise for the echidna. What weapon?

“Weap…oh! The Wispon!”

Wispon?

“What in Mobius is a Wispon?”

The genius inventor explained the ideal weapon, apparently, for this mission.

“It’s something I invented when I got the idea from studying the Wisps’ powers, but I was never able to test it out. Well, until now!”

“So, you’re telling me that we’re gonna use something you _never_ used before?”

“Remember, _ideas_ , Knuckles…”

That blue hero had influenced the kid too much, he thought, because only Sonic could be this…this… _unrelenting_.

“Does this mean we have to head over to your workshop…”

“Actually, no. I left it in Gadget's care.”

“Alright, I guess we’ll be making a stop. Did everyone else hear the change of plans?”

A female voice quipped her thoughts just as he was asking the question. It seemed that synchronization was something that came with being a couple. 

“Well, boys, you do you. Meanwhile, Rose and I can keep this fella busy. Just don’t keep us waiting, you know how I hate that, Knuckie.”

Hearing his bat lover, a small blush could be felt on his cheeks, but it worsened when he heard the person behind him giggle at hearing it, too.

“Let’s just get this over with!”

* * *

_Date:_

_September 23, XXXX_

_Location:_

_A.R.C.H.E. Space Station_

  
  
  


_Time:_

_1500 hrs._

  
  
  


_Area:_

_Sector B-10 (RESTRICTED TO SPECIAL PERSONNEL ONLY)_

  
  
  


_Subject:_

_LCB-17_

_DCB-05_

  
  


_Recipient:_

_Dr. Peterson_

  
  


_New Message:_

_When I first decided to participate in this project, I had hoped it was to lead to having a safer world, but now, I can only feel disgusted by what your true intentions are, Mr. Peterson. After lying to the public about the Chaos Borns experiment, you continued the investigation aboard my space station, saying that you were close to finding the answer to these creatures. I believed you! You lied through your teeth, and now, my dear Sonny is in pain at being away from his mate. You must return his dearest Betzalel at once! If you do not, I’ll make sure to expose all your lies and faults to the public. But before anything else, you are interfering with a Dark Chaos Born’s connection with their mate, a drastic thing that will only cause unfortunate events for everyone. If you still have a heart, I beg of you, please return Sonny’s mate. If not for him, do it for the public, for everyone back on our planet. Please, Mr. Peterson!_

  
  


_~ Dr. Kintobor, ID ****133_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> Oh, boy. Gerald makes an appearance, and it looks like he knows something about those Chaos Borns and the history behind it... 
> 
> It looks like it's Gadget to the rescue, thanks to Shadow. The Resistance finally finishes off Chaos, only to discover upsetting news after the fight. Now, where were those time-travelers throughout this fight... 
> 
> Moreover, we learn something interesting about this whole thing between Eggman and Sonic. It appears that these two have held their fair share of secrets, too. Infinite takes his chances with the information he gathered when he confronts the black hedgehog, returning from his previous objective. However, things don't go as planned for the mercenary.
> 
> More light will be shed on what happened with the Chaos Borns research experiment by D.L.R.P. and we finally find out who exactly Mr. Peterson is.
> 
> I don't know if you have seen the change in the summary and tags, but I think I should also emphasize that a certain professor will also be making an appearance throughout the story, and it's not Gerald (but you know he's also part). Due to this, I should warn you that tags may be changed for future purposes. Lastly, I hope you all enjoy this update! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, boy. Gerald makes an appearance, and it looks like he knows something about those Chaos Borns and the history behind it...
> 
> It looks like it's Gadget to the rescue, thanks to Shadow. The Resistance finally finishes off Chaos, only to discover upsetting news after the fight. Now, where were those time-travelers throughout this fight...
> 
> Moreover, we learn something interesting about this whole thing between Eggman and Sonic. It appears that these two have held their fair share of secrets, too. Infinite takes his chances with the information he gathered when he confronts the black hedgehog, returning from his previous objective. However, things don't go as planned for the mercenary.
> 
> More light will be shed on what happened with the Chaos Borns research experiment by D.L.R.P. and we finally find out who exactly Mr. Peterson is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so sorry about not updating sooner. I had a family emergency, and things got complicated. Everything's better now. I hope you like this full chapter 10. I'm thinking of making it up to all of you by updating a new chapter tomorrow and probably a Q&A about anything you want to know about the story. Please comment on any questions that you would like me to answer by the next chapter! :)
> 
> I would also want to say that there's some implied references to suicide and panic attacks. I don't know if it is strong, but I don't want to trigger or upset anyone. And most importantly, everyone is beautiful and amazing! Don't listen to those that say otherwise because they don't know anything except hurting others to satisfy themselves. Please know that you matter in this world! If anyone wants somebody to talk to, I'm here. Mental health is important to take care of, especially during these times.
> 
> Meet Rebekah Lynn: https://that-one-person-022.tumblr.com/  
> You'd be surprised what her backstory is and what character in the Sonic X universe inspired me to create her.

_Many centuries ago…_

_Life was something quite confusing. Everything came to be just as it is but little is known as to how exactly. Who were the first humans? Had there been no other planet like theirs? Why were the sky blue and the grass green? Who was their god?_

_Dr. Kintobor knew nothing of the beginning of time, but he often found himself being drawn to that wonderment. From a young child, he wanted to find the reason as to why they lived as such. To explore the depths of the creation of their world and discover the unknowns that lied between every layer of crust._

_But now, looking at the young males in front, he knew that was the last thing he wanted to know. All that mattered now was making sure these Chaos Borns were safe, away from prying hands and malicious acts. He frowned. These people wanted answers right, yet they rejected the truth. That humankind was not the superior race, but instead, it was these beings that, right now, were talking about the different constellations in the star-speckled sky._

_Sonny and Betzalel._

_Two male hedgehogs, born to be far more than just mobians, and even more than just their normal Chaos Borns. Two beings that carried more than just primitive genes from the first of their kind. Two beings that belonged to a more divine future than ours. Yet, they were treated like lab rats, a pricking needle here, and a pint of blood there. Every scientist aboard the space station saw them as experiments to dissect. Except him._

_Ovi Kintobor was a scientist, but he was no monster. He believed that every living form deserved respect and fairness. To be told what it was dealing with because sometimes humanity does cruel things, reasoning that it's for the greater good._

_“Betz!”_

_Focusing back on the males, he smiled at seeing how the silvery, golden hedgehog, Betzalel, pressed a kiss to a delicate, peach hand. Another reason, which he saw as the most important, to take them away from this place of pain and nightmares. Sonny and Betzalel, still young at age but mature in mind, another characteristic of Chaos Borns, had grown to like each other. Being as they were the only Chaos Borns aboard the station, they immediately connected, creating a strong bond. It was only a matter of time for that bond to develop into something deeper. Dr. Rebekah Lynn had mentioned to him in a previous message it must be something all Chaos Borns do to continue their bloodline. Find bond mates. He sighed, thinking of the young blonde scientist. She was the only one that truly cared to learn of the hedgehogs’ health. A genuine show of protection for the Chaos Borns. He hoped that she was fairing well back home, where the government investigation halted their research. However, she managed to keep in contact with him. In the end, Ovi cared for her as if she was family. Seeing her as a dear friend and almost sister._

_“Dr. K?”_

_He hadn’t noticed the navy blue hedgehog look over in his direction. Staring into dark green eyes, almost black, he saw the worry appear on the Dark Chaos Born’s face. His heart clenched at seeing his dearest friend show this. He walked up to the duo that sat on the cold floor in front of the viewing window._

_“I see that stargazing is on today’s agenda, boys.”_

_He smiled down at the two, glad that he was able to erase that worry on the hedgehog’s face for the moment._

_“Of course! Betz and I wanted to see the stars, but in the end, it turned into who could point out the most constellations. And I won!”_

_“So you believe, Caerulus. I have been keeping count, and the result is a tie.”_

_“Ignore him, Dr. K. Betz doesn’t like it when he loses to me.”_

_“Caerulus…”_

_“Well, it is the truth, is it not?”_

_“Sometimes I wonder why I befriended you…”_

_“Because we like each other.”_

_The dark hedgehog received no verbal answer, but Kintobor chuckled at seeing the small blush on Betzalel’s face._

_“My, you have left our dear Betzalel speechless, Sonny.”_

_“I am an expert in doing so, Dr. K.”_

_He continued to chuckle as Sonny continued to make the other more flustered._

_At that moment, seeing the happiness in their eyes, Ovi Kintobor swore he would do anything to make sure his young companions were free of the darkness that came upon them. Anything._

* * *

_Before the creation of D.L.R.P. …._

_Rebekah Mary Lynn learned much from her mother, Maria Lynn. She was one of the few scientists to work under the leading expert, Keith Peterson. She knew the man since she was fourteen years old, her mother taking her to observe the many things that she would work on. During her visits, she would see a man, now twenty-five years old, talk with her mother. She found it funny how someone younger would be in charge of her mother, who was about four years older than him, at the time. However, her mother said there was nothing wrong, and if anything, she was happy to have younger adults invest their studies into science. She loved seeing everything that her mother pointed out to her from outside the observation-window area. Sometimes, she would ask her mother about going further down the hallways, deeper into the maze of white walls, but she always heard the same thing._

_‘Unfortunately, that’s only for special clearance, honey.’_

_She would pout at hearing her mother’s words. But she knew she was still lucky enough to be shown something from inside the distinctive laboratory, the Research Center Of Established Biology. Until she wasn’t._

_Her mother would come home late. Eat less. Sleep less. Smile less. Rebekah always loved her mother’s smile. It was the most beautiful one. So, it worried her that her maternal figure was being distant with her, almost avoiding her at all costs. She was still young, but she was smart, inherited by her mother, enough to see that something was clearly wrong with her._

_Sometimes she wanted to grab her mother by the shoulders and demand her what was wrong. But one day, before she even knew what was happening, her mother packed a small suitcase with some of the clothes from her closet. Rebekah was soon dropped off at the doorstep of her grandfather’s, a sweet man, home with only an explanation of needing to be at the lab for a few days. Rebekah didn’t understand until her mother added the detail about needing to stay a few nights as well._

_A few nights turned into a week. Rebekah knew that sometimes her mother’s work was loaded with many meetings and papers to finish, but she was still worried. The awful feeling chewing on her mind until she finally received news. Bad news._

_Her mother had faced an unfortunate accident during a regular protocol at the lab center. At the age of 17, she was with no mother. Little to nothing was given on her mother’s ‘unfortunate accident’. However, she wasn’t completely alone. Her grandfather took her in and gave her his support. She was glad to have him, but she still mourned her loss._

_Rebekah knew her mother was more than just a working woman. She was an incredible female that demonstrated her strength and confidence through her scientific work. She was a lovely and kind woman that treated everyone with the same respect. She was lively and supportive. She was honest and humble. She was Rebekah’s role model. Rebekah’s everything._

_~~~~_

_7 years after her mother’s death…_

_“Mr. Peterson will see you now, Ms. Lynn.”_

_Blue eyes glanced up from her clasped hands to the female secretary that stood some distance in front. She smiled and stood up from the chair. She took slow steps towards the office, where Mr. Peterson waited for her._

_She did everything she could to follow in her mother’s footsteps, even taking what she hoped was a new internship from Mr.Peterson._

_The man that had worked with her mother and carried a similar mindset to the female scientist. She believed that he would have forgotten about her, after all, seven years is a long time. But, here she was, stepping into a spacious room, where an older man sat at a wooden desk._

_“Ms. Lynn! It’s a pleasure to meet you, again. Please, sit.”_

_Nodding, she walked towards the desk and offered a handshake._

_“Hello, Mr. Peterson, I’m glad to see you, again, as well!”_

_She gave him a bright smile._

_“Ah, I see you have inherited your mother’s smile. She was a bright and kind woman. I was glad to have her on my team. I was greatly saddened at hearing what happened to her.”_

_Rebekah’s smile faltered for a quick second._

_“We all were, but I tried to push ahead. Just like she taught me, and in her honor, I was able to get where I am now!”_

_“Of course! I never doubted that Maria Lynn’s daughter would be anything less than a great scientist, just like her. I was notified of your last month at Spagonia University, and I knew you would be a great candidate for this position, especially after reading your term paper on the combination of mobian’s DNA.”_

_She blushed at hearing his praises._

_“It’s something I wanted to understand when I continued my studies. Besides being advanced species, I always wondered how exactly their bodies and mind work. So, with the help of Professor Reymond Pickle, I decided to commit myself to that research area for my last year.”_

_“Your…mother would be so proud of you.”_

_Rebekah swallowed down the echo of a cry, forcing it back with all her strength. She couldn’t sry right now, not anymore…_

_“D-do you really think so?”_

_The man in front of her looked at her for a few more moments before chuckling._

_“Rebekah, I was still a young man when your mother worked with me. Besides being a wonderful colleague, she was an amazing guide. I was never really close with my own mother, but your mother treated me as her own son. The idea of sharing interests with another adult that admired it with the same passion was unimaginable! But, nothing compared to the immense passion she resonated with when she talked about you.”_

_“Really?”_

_“She loved you with all her heart, Rebekah, and would be the proudest mother right now, seeing you step up to her position.”_

_She remembered that the email talked about an internship, but a position at his lab?_

_“Her position? I thought I was going under as your intern, Mr. Peterson?”_

_Another small laugh._

_“That’s something I had to say in order to keep the surprise a secret!”_

_Rebekah’s heart was beating faster, and her hands, unbelievably, were getting sweatier._

_“So, I’m…”_

_“You’re going to be my new guiding scientist!”_

_Her mother always took her job seriously, but she still enjoyed it. It was like learning everything again for her, at least, that was what her mother told Rebekah._

_Standing up from her chair, she couldn’t think straight but only stared at the grinning man across from her._

_“A-are you serious….w-what…I don’t know what to say!”_

_“Well, it’s the least I can do for seeing you work so hard. I want you to have a shot at this, something your mother would have wanted for you as well.”_

_Rebekah saw a wonderful man in front of her who was giving her the chance at continuing a legacy made by her mother. Rebekah smiled at Mr.Peterson, seeing how he became who he is today because of her mother as well. Through it all, Maria Lynn changed more than just her life, but those of who she encountered every day outside their small home as well._

* * *

“Go for it!”

Unknown to the water beast, two figures appeared to approach the weak spot. Aiming the Wispon at the brain, Gadget locked onto the target and fired it. To their surprise, a large, purplish-indigo wave of energy burst from the Chaos Drive in Chaos’ brain.

His orange eyes saw the wave make its way over the bee and him. He didn’t know what the hell that thing was, but he sure didn’t want to know. Sadly, they didn’t get too far.

Gadget felt a lightweight mist set over his flying companion and him. Nothing felt diff—

Memories flashed before his eyes. Memories of yelling and pushing. Of sneers and laughs. He whimpered as he suddenly felt the ghostly fingers of his bullies on his body. He wanted to fight back, but he was too weak… 

_Aw, are you gonna start crying?_

_You’re such a baby!_

_I thought you were supposed to be a wolf, not a pussy!_

_Loser!_

_You’re a fucking pussy, wolf! Remember that!_

No! He shook his head, trying to banish away the horrible words, the blurry faces, the punching, the laughs, the _torture_ …

Everything was spinning. His brain felt like it was being ripped apart by sharp claws. He couldn’t breathe. He wanted to fight back the monsters but his body was being sucked out of all its energy. Nothing and everything felt _real_ at the same time. He couldn’t tell the difference anymore. 

Agh!

He wanted it to stop! Just stop! 

All the pain was turning into anger. Anger from being the punching sack of some _assholes_! With a snarl, he tried to yank his hand out of the hold of the mumbling bee, who was also under the influence of the mist, but he was too far gone to even know what was happening with his own mind. With another pull, he was released and started to fall towards the bottom of the island. 

Everything was a blur around him, and nothing mattered more than shutting out those voices. He felt the rush of excitement go through him as his eyes saw the green field come closer into view. Gadget felt alive for the first time! All the sounds were finally disappearing into the wind, and that’s only when he finally registered that he was laughing. Laughing at how it was so simple to let go of everything to finally breathe! Free from those—

A hand grabbed at his feet. 

No! He was so close! Who in the hell was pulling him up?!

Gadget’s eyes glanced at his captor. A female bat. He growled at her, seeing how she shot him a scowl in return. The wolf tried to maneuver around to pull away from her hands. She grunted at his constant moving, but she wasn’t letting loose. Gadget tried the next best thing. 

“What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!”

One foot slipped out of the female’s grip. He tasted the blood on his lips, smiling wickedly at the bat. Before he got the chance to go for another bite, he saw the teal eyes look down below him, and with a snarl from pink lips, he started to fall again.

He was giddy at seeing his captor give up so easily, but as he focused on the ground below, he knew why she let go of him.

That _bitc_ —

* * *

“Blaze, they need back up at Entrance 5!”

With another grunt, the pyrokinesis princess expelled another wave of flames in the direction of the robot. Finally, with all her strength, she shoved the large machine against the far wall. The robot slid down, blinking its lights one last time.

Blaze checked it was dysfunctional one last time before heading to Entrance 5, where Silver said the soldiers needed help. She clicked on her communicator.

“I’m heading there now. How are you fairing, Silver?”

“I’m fine… _hiss_ …this just seems _harder_ than usual…”

Static filtered through some of his conversation, but she still was able to hear him. 

“For defeating the Doctor’s robots?”

“Yeah… _hiss_ …don’t you think… _hiss_ …so?”

She sighed. Of course, she agreed with him. Silver and her had fought some of these robots from the Doctor’s messes before, but she knew that _these_ robots were different. They were actually difficult to get rid of compared to the ones sent into the city. She frowned at thinking how this was possible. What had changed this time?

“Blaze… _hiss_ ….”

“Let’s just finish this up quickly. We still need to head back to the others.”

“You’re…. _hiss_ ….right! Meet…. _hiss_ ….up at the front.”

“Alright. Sliver, please be careful.”

“You…. _hiss_ ….too!”

Letting her hand fall back to her side, she looked ahead to find several of G.U.N.’s soldiers barricading Entrance 5, but with the looks of it, they definitely needed help. Forming a flame in each hand, the princess narrowed her eyes on the first set of targets. So much for getting help, but at least, Rouge did right in sending them both at the end.

~~~~

_“Okay, you two are going to head to G.U.N. HQ to alert them of the situation.”_

_The princess had been waiting to hear what the female agent wanted Silver and her to do. Now, she heard that they weren’t even going to join them to fight but go for help…_

_That didn’t sound right._

_“Are we not to remain here to handle this situation? For all we know, the split in numbers will affect the result of this fight.”_

_Rouge’s smirk never disappeared as Blaze explained herself._

_“Don’t worry, we got this, princess. Besides, the communicators don’t have the best signal, and I have a strong feeling that something more is at play here.”_

_She frowned at the idea of her having to be absent to assist her girlfriend. So, this is what Amy feels every time, the princess thought._

_“C’mon Blaze, we can do this! We just need to alert G.U.N. on the situation, and we’ll head right back. Remember that there are people that are also scared, too…”_

_The princess sighed and reluctantly nodded, agreeing to leave with Silver._

_“Alright, we’ll make this quick then.”_

_Another nod from the female bat and the duo headed in the direction of the military’s HQ. It wasn’t until halfway that Blaze realized that Silver could have gone alone to give the message. She mentally facepalmed and was about to tell the silver hedgehog of her plans to return…_

_But she kept quiet._

_Blaze knew that Rouge was always the tactical one when it came to attack plans. So, there must have been a reason why the female bat sent both of them. She didn't know what reason that was, but she knew that the agent’s intuition was just as remarkable as Amy’s, which was saying something._

_~~~~_

“I’m here! I’m here!”

Her eyes caught sight of a running hedgehog. Silver had just arrived at the front of the headquarters. She sighed at seeing that her best friend was alright, almost deciding to check on him if he didn’t arrive in the next minute or so. Fortunately, the silver time-traveler was now standing in front of her, with a small smile. It looked like everything had gone well on his side.

“Good job, Silver. Now, we have to—”

“The Commander requests for both of your presence in his office.”

Two G.U.N. soldiers had approached them and interrupted the princess. She eyed their stance, noting how they didn’t really have a choice in deciding. However, she couldn’t stay, not anymore. Silver and her needed to head back to the others. Even if that meant without the help they needed.

She cleared her throat and looked at the soldier that spoke to them with a cold glare.

“We do not have time. We need to return to Angel Island.”

Turning around, she saw the worried look that Silver was giving her. Her friend was too easily convinced of anything. 

“Silver, let’s go.”

Before both of them could walk away, the soldier’s next words made them freeze in their tracks.

“He said it concerns your future.”

The feline knew they needed to head back to the island, but her future also mattered…

“Blaze…”

A small whisper came from the young hedgehog. It was enough to remind her how much he and her suffered in the dead waste of their future. They had tried everything to change their future for the better, and she wasn’t ready for it to be taken away from them again. The feline released a shaky breath, pushing away the worry for a pink hedgehog, and turned around to face the soldiers.

“This better be quick, then.”

* * *

Great! Just great! 

Those stupid robots managed to get away with the Chaos Drive! 

Not finding any trace of either Chaos or the robots, Rouge growled as she started to fly back towards the resting group. The explosive wave of energy had knocked out most of them. Fortunately, she was quick enough to escape its mist, flying high above the island. Her teal eyes had scanned below to see that something was wrong. The bat saw Charmy and the wolf. She saw what the red mobian had been trying to do. 

But the sound of whooshing alerted her of something familiar. Rouge saw incoming robots, different from the city’s, flying in the direction of the drive, which was no longer in Chaos’ mind.

She was going to get the drive, but fuck! The wolf was falling, and she needed to do something.

The female bat wasn’t mad that she saved someone’s life over the drive, a possible lead to what Eggman was trying to do. She was mad that she couldn’t do both, save the wolf’s life, _and_ get that drive.

The bat’s feet landed softly on the ground. Rouge walked in the direction where the others were resting.

Looking down at her hands, she scowled at the red blood staining her white gloves. The wolf’s fangs had punctured through the gloves and gave away to the skin. The wound didn’t seem bad, but still, she was upset that another pair of gloves had managed to get damaged. That wolf owed her a pair now. She didn’t know much about him, only catching sight of him talking to Tails. Even then, she knew enough to deduce that the aggressive behavior was unusual for the wolf…

She frowned. It had to be the drive. Whatever radiated away from the weird stone affected everyone. Amy, Tails, Charmy, and the red wolf… 

Rouge felt uneasy when she saw how the two younger boys started to cry and lash out at everyone. They kept mumbling words. Something about losing something…someone? She couldn’t understand what exactly they were saying but they kept repeating it in a sort of chant. Then there was Amy. The pink hedgehog had remained silent for a few moments before she started to panic. A severe panic attack it looked like. Rouge swore she saw pink quills being yanked out of Amy’s head by her bare hands. The public was not affected, being far away from the fight, but they couldn’t afford to frighten them. So, Knuckles knocked out the pink female.

Knuckles… 

Her red echidna’s reaction to the stone had scared her the most. When she was searching for him, after making sure the wolf didn’t hurt anything from the rough landing, Rouge had thought he was fine. He wasn’t screaming, crying, mumbling, or anything. So, he had to be fine. Right?

But Rouge knew better than to think that. The guardian seemed tensed and…haunted. The look in his amethyst eyes looked _terrifying_ , but he didn’t show it through any other form. He didn’t tell her anything when she asked if he was alright. It was as if something scared the echidna enough to shut him up. To be too afraid to even talk about it. 

Teal eyes saw the group by a tree nearby. 

Vector was holding onto a whimpering Charmy. The bee had calmed down but whimpers could still be made out from his mouth. Amy and Tails were under Knuckles’ care. Both bodies were still shivering but not from the cold. The wolf had been placed next to him, too, but he seemed calmer than the others. She approached her red lover, cautiously as to not scare him. Who knows how he actually was feeling…

“Hey.”

The red echidna slowly moved his eyes from the bodies next to him to her. Was he in a daze, she thought.

“Where’s Espio?”

She noticed the absence of the purple chameleon, knowing that he would have come running to see Charmy’s state. 

“He’s back with the others. Didn’t want to scare them, so he said he would look over them.”

She slowly nodded.

“How are they?”

She looked over to the hedgehog and fox.

“Better.”

She glanced back at Knuckles, who was also staring at the young fighters.

“What….what was that?”

Knuckles’ gaze shifted, peeking at the bee and back to the three bodies by him.

“I…don't know….”

“It’s oka—”

“How he got it….”

The female agent frowned at hearing his words. Who was he talking about… 

“The Doctor?”

A small nod.

“Well, I’m sure he has his ways of getting anything he wants. Remember that he is an evil genius, so he must have made it somehow…”

“No, he couldn’t have _made_ this….it’s impossible.”

“Why is it impossible?”

“Because…that drive expelled something different from negative energy…”

“Then what was it…”

“Something _rawer_ than negative energy. Almost too impure to just be negative…”

She didn’t like what she was hearing.

“But why is it impossible for the Doctor to get his hands on it?”

Rouge noticed how his hands suddenly became fidgety. Knuckles was _never_ like this….this had to be something really bad.

“That drive….is….is not from our….time.”

What?

“Time? I don’t….”

The bat knew nothing of Chaos Drives and their energies, but she knew much about the importance of time, especially since two time travelers always fight for it. The Doctor was playing with _dangerous_ things. She looked at her lover with a worried look, but how could she find comfort in him when he was also unsettled by everything that was happening.

Deciding to shift the attention away from the _damn_ problem, she decided to mention something else.

“I’ll talk to Espio about getting these people to the base. Do you want to take them or…”

Glancing at the now calmer fighters, she thought it was best to take them to a safer place.

“We’ll join you after you get there. It’s better that they don’t see them like this.”

Agreeing with him, Rouge sighed and nodded.

“Knuckles…”

“Hm.”

“I….we’re going to be okay, I promise.”

Silence.

She was going to leave, not expecting an answer, but her ears caught the quiet word.

“Okay.”

* * *

The difference between that blue metal hedgehog and him was that Metal was able to travel into space without the need of using a means of transportation. It was built into him. Shadow, on the other hand, had to travel with Zavok and Chaos to get back to the ship. Unfortunately, the Doctor had the _bright_ idea of making one transport that allowed them to travel back and forth between Mobius and space. Shadow remembered that the Doctor had said it was best like this to keep them unnoticed for a longer time. The last thing the man wanted was for their secret location to be spotted.

Shadow, shamefully, also needed for that to happen, but his intentions were for the use of the ruby-colored stone. He wished that he wouldn’t have to do this, but he needed that information. But seeing Sonic tortured by the man that he thought would never bend his villainous ways to such a degree….

It was hard to believe that the Doctor was capable of these things, but something else told him that Ivo Robotnik was _just_ someone that couldn't do this to anyone. And for some reason, all this seemed more wrong for the man to do it to Sonic….

Why, though?

He never understood this feeling. It was something that he felt the first time when he encountered the Doctor for the first time. It was even stronger when he first set his eyes on the blue hedgehog. He thought it was the shock from seeing the similarities between Gerald and Ivo. As for Sonic, it had been more of smaller feelings mounting together. The idea that there was someone else like him, the Ultimate Lifeform. He questioned his identity much after the Ark incident, but it was pushed away with the constant feeding of missions. He had forgotten about the feeling with his focus shifted onto G.U.N. and his place in Team Dark. It stayed like that until….

Sonic brought those feelings back.

The more time he had spent with his rival ended up shaking his head in more ways than one. Something about the hero was familiar, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. It was strange, this feeling really. The black hedgehog always found Sonic’s behavior annoying but in a _cute_ way. Sometimes he would find himself knowing what the hedgehog would do before the hero even did it.

There were also times in which he questioned his need to _protect_ Sonic. It was an impulse. Something he acted on rather than thinking it through. It was especially harder than ever to see his rival submit to those bastards’ doings, without doing anything to help. At least, the cobalt hedgehog knew he really wasn’t on the Doctor’s side….

“Where the hell were you?”

His dark ears perked at the deep voice. Crimson eyes saw Zavok approach him. He thought of leaving Chaos and him behind, but that would cause the Doctor to get suspicious. He needed to wait for at least _one_ of them to return.

“Unlike you, I needed to get _several_ things done to report back to the Doctor.”

Shadow really wanted to punch that face. 

“Well, one of those _several_ things was to be back up when it was needed.”

Shadow growled at the red beast.

“I thought you were good enough to get rid of some _boring_ bases. Or what? Were G.U.N. soldiers able to fight you back?”

Yellow eyes narrowed at his words.

“Of course, not! I am far stronger than any of you, and some pesky humans are nothing compared to other battles I have fought.”

“Then why would you need the backup?”

“I managed to push ahead in the first base, but it appeared that the last two were difficult to destroy…”

Shadow frowned. He knew Zavok was a strong force to fight against, but G.U.N., that just seemed….questionable.

“What efforts did they use?”

Zavok entered the transport, the large entrance opened already.

“Everything, just like the Doctor had warned me, but it appeared that he did not know of these humans’ _new_ weapons.”

New?

“How did they look?”

Shadow walked up the ramp to join the other.

“Large blasters.”

“What’s so unique about them that made it difficult for you to get rid of them?”

Zavok took a seat on one side of the transport. Yellow glaring eyes looked at him. Shadow could care less about it.

“They shot out some weird type of energy.”

“What kind—”

“Look, if you wanted to know so much about them, why didn’t you come like you were told?”

The black hedgehog had to bite back his comment. Instead, he looked towards the opening of the transport. He needed to return to the ship….

“Unless…you truly didn’t know that they had such things at their disposal, right?”

Shadow frowned. Of course, he didn’t know but to think that G.U.N. still managed to hide things from him… 

“We need to head back to the main ship.”

Zavok chuckled at his attempt to escape the question. Yellow eyes carried a sinister glee in them. Maybe he should punch his face, the agent thought.

“What will you tell the Doctor about Chaos? Surely, he would want to know why you left behind one of his allies….”

“That’s none of your business.”

This time Shadow made himself comfortable in another corner of the ship, facing away from the red Zeti, but he was still able to feel yellow eyes on him.

* * *

_Getting acquainted with Mr.Peterson was not difficult like she originally thought. But, the new lab’s work compared to her research done at Spagonia University was immensely different. She was surprised that the man had thought she was perfect for the position. However, Rebekah was determined to revolutionize the meaning of their research. Her mother always had done it, so she could too._

_Focusing back on the computer screen, her blue eyes saw something strange in this blood sample. All mobians carried the same foundation to build their DNA, but every species had different cells that were produced by their genes. It connected to how the mobian was able to adapt to their surroundings based on basic needs as any animal needed to survive. Yet, it was noticeable that some were able to adapt quicker than others._

_But this blood sample…._

_Rebekah had never seen anything like this. Every cell produced by these genes seemed impeccable. It was as if a perfect being was created to withstand any environmental change or even disease. But that was impossible, right?_

_She looked up from the computer screen and glanced at the blood sample that was located under the microscope. Biting her bottom lip, she decided to save the image and attach it to a new message. It just might be a contaminated sample, but she didn’t want to take any risks. Finding the correct contact, she sent the message to Mr.Peterson, hoping it was nothing for the man to ridicule her for. The last thing she wanted was for him to send her back home with no chance of entering another lab in her life just because she made an exaggeration about something as simple as worrying over a contaminated sample. The man had a large influence over the people, especially after announcing his new project. She remembered the announcement that had been sent out. All the headlines talked about the scientist’s great work only doing better each year. He was considered a pioneer in establishing the first positive connection between science and politics._

_Project Light was supposed to lead their nation into a better future. A future without a single worry about being defenseless or unsafe. A future without knowing that their soldiers may never return home from war._

_Rebekah found that inspiring, but it still seemed uncomfortable to bridge those pieces together. Something about it made her stomach upset. However, Rebekah knew it wasn’t her place to question this, and if anything, she should be happy._

_Letting out a small sigh, she decided to clean up her lab area and head back to her apartment. She cleared all the tables from test tubes and racks, disposing of anything she used. Once all the blood samples were safely secured in the appropriate container, she headed over to the computer to turn everything off. Before she shut it down, she noticed a new message in her inbox. It was from Mr.Peterson._

_Date:_

_January 12, XXXX_

_Location:_

_Research Center Of Established Biology_

  
  
  


_Time:_

_1900 hrs._

  
  
  


_Area:_

_N/A_

  
  
  


_Subject:_

_Strange Blood Sample_

  
  


_Recipient:_

_Ms. Lynn_

  
  


_New Message:_

_It seems that my assistants did not do a good job of separating the blood samples. This was something I had hoped to mention to you, Ms. Lynn, at a different time. However, it seems that these circumstances call for it to be sooner rather than later. I have had something planned for D.L.R.P., but I wanted it to be something that would be explored once I was certain of the results. If you would not mind, I would like to have a conversation with you tomorrow that would explain the meaning of this strange blood sample. I hope you understand my precaution as it is something I can not mention in a message. Please stop by my office before you head to D.L.R.P. tomorrow morning. Have a nice night, Ms.Lynn._

  
  


_~ Mr.Peterson_

_It seemed that the man continued to hold surprises for her, she thought. After reading the message again, making sure to not miss anything, she closed it and turned off the computer._

_She wondered what Mr.Peterson had wanted to do with this new research lab. Rebekah had a strange feeling that it would make her feel more uneasy, but then again, her mother trusted this man. So, she figured that it must not be something bad._

_But she had to admit, science has had its fair share of bad incidents. At least, her mother was happy that she changed the world, but it caused her life. She hoped that she wouldn’t have to journey into that ballpark. Life was not always going to be nice to her, though. Rebekah had to remember that._

* * *

The red echidna was used to carrying people. But this time, he just didn’t have it in him. He felt tired and confused. That mist that affected the four victims had done no similar thing to him. It just made him feel….drained.

However, he had recognized the feeling once his mind could process everything that happened. The Chaos Drive was not like any drive. The energy it possessed was awfully similar to the way his ancestors had described the feeling of a transcendent power that was created by a godly being. A being that was able to disperse the same effect as the mist onto its attackers. It was quite fascinating how someone managed to do something like what he witnessed moments ago, but it wasn’t after seeing what it was capable of making its victims do. From having them fall into severe panic attacks to almost committing _suicide_ , whatever being held that power was beyond evil. They were maleficent. Sinister. Bent to cause permanent damage on anybody it desired to. 

“Hey, wanna call up Rouge, or should I?”

The guardian glanced at Vector, who was carrying the wolf and Amy. He took the two younger boys. All four remained unconscious, and it made him frown. He needed to return to those ruins to find the information on that mysterious, ancient power. It would help them understand what the Doctor was doing.

“Go ahead.”

The crocodile nodded and he rested the bodies against a nearby tree. Knuckles knew they were almost close to the base, but they needed to bring in the fighters without anyone seeing them. For all the people knew, they were still searching for any robots or Chaos. Speaking of Chaos….

The red echidna realized that the water creature was lashing out from the pain that he was being fed by the drive. It explained why those shots were unfocused, to begin with. It appeared that anything that made contact with the drive’s energy was not able to distinguish several things apart.

“Okay, she said to loop around the back. She’ll be making sure no one sees us.”

Vector hoisted up the two mobians into his shoulders and started to walk again. Knuckles followed behind him. 

Something just hit him.

Eggman was able to obtain a powerful source of that energy, which had definitely not come from his blue friend….right?

He knew Sonic had the potential to turn dark, something he swore to the hedgehog that he would never tell someone else. The guardian had originally believed that the Doctor had used Sonic’s dark energy to get that drive, but the outcomes didn’t add up to what he knew of negative energy. No, it couldn’t be the blue hero. He was sure of that. But who in Mobius was able to supply that energy? Especially if it was something that hadn’t existed for _hundreds_ of years. 

* * *

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

Repeating her answer, she heard the man in front of her sigh. She, too, was tired but this was just…. _impossible_.

“I assure you we checked the fluctuating energy waves from the site twice. Our drones were able to pick up the readings before the Doctor had the right mind to destroy the base.”

“This just doesn’t fit what we know….”

Blaze heard Silver’s words, finding it also hard to believe that someone from another _time_ was here. Whoever was working with the Doctor was present _before_ the attacks began. Before they had returned from their trip to the future. That’s what didn’t add up. The mysterious person’s actions in this timeline would have affected theirs, but it didn’t. Blaze’s future remained intact, except for a few small problems here and there, but in the end, it was still safe. 

“I need to alert the others of the news….”

The Commander cleared his throat, and her sharp eyes glanced at him.

“It is vital that you keep this information well kept, especially as of right now, since we have now lost three bases to the Doctor.”

Silver gasped. Blaze’s eyes widened.

“Why did you not send us there to fight against the Doctor’s forces?”

The Commander shook his head.

“It would have been of no use if I sent you there. I rather have this base protected than the others.”

The princess frowned at hearing the head of G.U.N. say those words. She didn’t fully trust the man, especially since he handled Shadow in unkindly ways. Humans would never change when it came to being overpowered by others, she thought.

“Do you have a secure line I could use?”

The Commander looked over to the two soldiers who had brought Silver and her to his office. 

“Take her to the Communications area to find her a secure line to the others.”

Two ‘yes, sir’s were heard. Blaze turned around to face them, but she saw her best friend’s face. He was mumbling to himself and fidgeting with one of his inhibitors. A sign of extreme worry for his friends. It was something she picked up on when they were younger. They had been through so much together….

“Silver….”

Golden eyes stared at her. They remained staring at each other for a while before he nodded. The princess and her best friend walked over to the soldiers who were waiting to escort them to the right room.

* * *

The jackal saw the black hedgehog walk down the ramp. Infinite had finished his business with the Doctor, agreeing to see him again in a few hours to test something else with the Master Emerald. 

“How was the fun?”

His eyes saw the dark hedgehog glare at him, but he rolled his eyes. He hated Shadow’s existence so much, and he was ready to destroy all that confidence the agent had in himself.

“It was rather tedious. Humans are not competent fighters.”

He hummed as he heard the Zeti's answer. 

"They are truly not. Now, the Doctor wishes to see you, Zavok."

Yellow eyes looked between the hedgehog and him. Infinite was not blind. He knew that everyone saw the tension between Shadow and him. 

"I need to see the Doctor as well. Where is he?”

The masked jackal turned to face the black hedgehog. 

“The control room, but before you go, I would like to talk with you about something.”

Crimson eyes stared at heterochromatic ones. Infinite knew this was the only chance he would get to talk to the agent alone before the Doctor would move forward with whatever he had planned with that _project_.

“Zavok, go on ahead. The Doctor’s waiting for you.”

“Very well.”

The red beast took his leave and left him alone with the black hedgehog.

“What do _you_ want now?”

Infinite knew the black hedgehog was not really who he said he was, but he no longer was able to prove it like that. However, with what he discovered, the masked mercenary knew that he had something _better_ than using that blue hero for his goal. 

“Have you ever felt that you were made for something bigger than all of...this?”

“What are you on about?”

“I know your connection with that hero runs deeper than you think.”

His ears picked up on the small growl. He may not be able to use the blue hedgehog, but he was still able to taunt the agent about it. About how he couldn’t do anything to help his dear _friend_.

“I share no connection with that hedgehog.”

“Does the name _Kintobor_ ring any bells?”

The striped agent didn’t reply. He just stared at him with nothing but a neutral face. But even without any physical giveaway, Infinite already knew that it threw the agent off. The hedgehog might not remember the name, but it did have to cause some kind of trigger. The silence continued to ring throughout the station. 

“No.”

He frowned but sighed. 

“Well, you might not care to know about Dr. Lynn as well then….”

Crimson eyes narrowed in his direction. Now, to set the final touch to the hedgehog’s doubts….

“But, if you do wish to know….I suggest you talk with a certain _Doctor_ ….”

The mercenary had expected a shocked gasp or anything, but he only saw the black hedgehog raise an eyebrow.

“It’s that all you had to say?”

The jackal growled at his question. He had wanted the agent to be surprised. To be angry. To lose it and go after the man that clearly was hiding something from him! 

Shadow scoffed and left for the control room. He clenched his fists, absolutely hating that it had not gone as he wanted it. That damn hedgehog just flicked it off as if it was of no importance. The asshole could not have possibly seen this coming! The information was hidden, in one of the Doctor's computer, for a reason….

Unless….

Infinite gasped.

Shadow already knew _something_. 

* * *

_The Doctor saw the dark figure move about his lab. He had not expected a strange visitor to show up. He looked at it, noticing that it wasn’t really walking, but almost dragging his feet across his metal floor. Not to mention the smell…._

_“I have seen what you are capable of, Doctor.”_

_Evil eyes looked at him. He stared back, almost finding it hard to look into them. Who was this person?_

_“What do you want?! Who are you?!”_

_The figure’s chuckle resonated throughout the walls. The man also frowned at the lack of mouth this creature had. Whatever this creature was, it clearly came from some messed up place. But now that he looked at it closely, his form seemed familiar…._

_“Do not worry, I have come here with intentions of helping you, dear Doctor. As for who I am, well that’s up to you to decide.”_

_“Decide?”_

_Icy tipped fingers connected to a dark hand gestured in the Phantom Ruby’s direction. The ruby stone was located in a tube in the far off wall._

_“If you want me to be your greatest ally or….your worst enemy.”_

_The Doctor frowned at the mysterious person’s words. What did he have to offer, the man thought._

_“How would I know if I should trust you?”_

_The figure’s hum echoed. It sounded eerie, almost disfigured. How could something without a mouth leave such an effect on others…._

_“You do not have to….but if you need proof….”_

_Extending the other black hand in front of him, he saw something forming in the palm. It was a stone…._

_“Here, my gift to you, Doctor.”_

_The scientist’s eyes widened at what sat in the dark palm. It was a Chaos Drive!_

_“How….”_

_“Ah, there’s more where that came from. If you wish to have more, I will need to know if you agree with our partnership.”_

_The Doctor knew that this was still all strange. However, he knew that that drive would be something of great use for him. He didn’t know who this was, but it appeared that they held great power, if the creation of the drive was anything to go by._

_“So, you are willing to fight for my empire? You do know I intend to become the official ruler of everything, correct? Because if that’s what—”_

_“Oh, Doctor! I do not have any intentions of taking your throne from you. I truly want to help you to be rid of everything and everyone on this planet.”_

_“If not my rule, then what do you want? You have to want something to need my help and leadership….”_

_The figure’s head tilted side to side. If the creature had a mouth, it would be smiling, the Doctor was sure of it._

_“Of course, you are no doubt the smartest person to join forces with, Doctor. But if you must know, I’m in search of something in this timeline.”_

_“What is it?”_

_“Something that will change everything for the better.”_

_“Your better or mine?”_

_The Doctor looked at the figure point a sharp, blue icy-finger in his direction._

_“Yours, mine. Doesn’t matter. In the end, you’ll have the Hero of Mobius kneel at your feet and answer to only your orders. How would that sound to you?”_

_Sonic kneel at his feet? That sounded too good to be true. More importantly, how did this creature know of the blue hedgehog?_

_“Doctor, I swear this time the world will crumble under your power.”_

* * *

_“Betz?”_

_“Hm?”_

_“What’s your favorite flower?”_

_A silvery, gold hedgehog looked over to the navy blue one. He raised an eyebrow at the strange question._

_“Why do you wish to know?”_

_The navy hedgehog put a finger to his lips._

_“Well, I just want to know what flowers to give you if we ever go back home….”_

_The silver, golden hedgehog looked at dark green eyes. It was strange to see his mate be so optimistic about something that might not happen. Betzalel knew that their future was to be stuck in this place for the rest of their lives. They had no choice. They were too dangerous for the world to accept them. But his dearest Caerulus just seemed so happy to dream of a possible future where they returned…._

_He couldn’t have his love fall into a possible depressional state…._

_“My favorite flowers are Blaue Blumes.”_

_“Why?”_

_Betzalel smiled at his mate._

_“Well, they represent desire, love, and striving for the unreachable. They embody hope and the beauty of things. But, most of all, they remind me of you.”_

_A small blush could be seen on peach skin._

_“I will definitely ask you to say it to me all the time, now!”_

_The Light Chaos Born chuckled at his mate’s response._

_“That’s fine by me.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important Translations:
> 
> Betzalel: refers to being "in the shadow of God" (Latin)
> 
> Caerulus: refers to the color blue/dark blue (Latin)
> 
> ARCHE: the word Ark translated into french
> 
> Why Latin and French? Because I speak French and I love Latin! :D
> 
> Next Chapter:
> 
> Some heavy stuff for this chapter, huh?
> 
> While the four victims rest, the rest of the group decides to move on with their plans. Knuckles talks to Rouge about something important that relates to his ancestors.
> 
> The Doctor continues to test on Sonic and cause more havoc among Mobius. We also find out how our blue hero is fairing. However, Shadow intervenes in the hero's testing, but the evil scientist tries to find a way around the black hedgehog's questions.
> 
> We find out that someone from a different timeline has been in Present Mobius, but who exactly? What does he have to do with this whole thing? Some time-travelers continue their own search on that.
> 
> We finally learn of Betzalel and Sonny (also known as Caerulus)! These two Chaos Borns will be appearing more and more throughout the story!


	12. Q & A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I hope everyone had a great time over the holidays! I had a bunch of things to do to prepare for my festivities. I know this year was chaotic and messed up many of our plans, but we will soon be entering 2021! I want to say that you all been great readers and supporters throughout my time on this fic. Thank you! 
> 
> Now, I know I promised a new chapter along with the Q & A but I want to do something special for you all. It's my present to you all! It'll be arriving throughout the week, so remember to check your emails for updates on any of the platforms.

1\. How many years take place between the past and present?

This is something I had trouble with in my story; hence, why I put XXXX for when the past was mentioned. However, in many of my outlines, I decided on hundreds of years. Literally centuries. I didn't want to get stuck on this part of the plot since it was something that had me thinking for a month back in April. So, I just kept it like that. But, I might change this, depending on how confusing it might become for anyone. Plus, there's something that happens between the time of Sonny and Betzalel and Present Mobius. It's MAJOR! Here's an outline of the events: 

At time XXXX, the D.L.R.P. and Chaos Borns stuff happens. During this time, Sonny and Betzalel exist as well.

A few months, almost a year, after the investigation on research labs and secret protocols that hide information happen.

Soon after, the Chaos War ensues, following a catastrophic event that wipes out all of humanity.

It takes many, many years for civilization to start again. This comes up by the ancient Echidna Tribe, Knuckles' ancestors. They encounter their own problems that lead to greater problems for the future. And let's just say, that mystery person from the last chapter definitively has something to do with this.

After the Echidna Tribe is erased from existence, we see what we know as Mobius become without mobians. Something that's triggered from the past timeline comes to fruition as life on Mobius flourishes again. With mobians and humans. However, Chaos Borns are not known in this time. This is something that will be explained why in the later chapters.

Without knowing the existence of powerful Chaos Borns, the humans do not see mobians as any threat. But, they still manage to find a way to govern the planet with serving both species in mind. Their space institution finds mysterious objects, a comet (reference to Black Doom). To their fortunate, nothing happens with it, but this gets them thinking of possible wars with other creatures. Voila! Project Shadow to the rescue. Gerald assists in this, and he finds some things from the past. Same thing happens as we know. Government sends in to destroy the project and put Shadow into stasis. Maria's death changes Shadow and Gerald. The old scientist knows what the black hedgehog is really capable of and uses that to get revenge for Maria. When Shadow awakens, only problems would ensue. (No Black Doom in this version, his Black Comet was just a small cameo.)

Fifty years later, Sonic and his friends chase after Eggman, who revealed Project Shadow. All the same events happen, except Shadow and Sonic seem to have this weird connection. Ivo learns something that will change his view on Sonic. Being defeated, he goes back into hiding, coming up with other plans of attack.

After a little over an year, Sonic and his friends continue to fight the Doctor's robots, but his presence is still unknown. On the other side, Shadow joins G.U.N. to follow through with Maria's wish, and they assign him a partner, Rouge. During the absence of the Doctor, they continue to fight against the man's forces, and eventually they make a new friend and teammate. Omega joins Team Dark. At the same time, Sonic and his group encounter their problems with two time travelers. Silver and Blaze become close friends for the Blue Blur after their adventure. Shadow and Sonic continue to build on their strange friendship while the black hedgehog makes new relationships. 

From then on, the events of story take place. Don't worry, some events will be explored in more detail in some chapters.

2\. Did Caerulus and Betzalel exist at the same time as Shadow was created or did they exist prior to Shadow's creation?

Caerulus (a.k.a Sonny) and Betzalel do not exist at the same time as Shadow. Their existence is prior to Shadow's creation. As many of you have concluded, Caerulus and Betzalel are Sonic and Shadow, respectively. Caerulus and Betzalel are Chaos Borns on board a space station, for the reason is to continue research on these creatures. Something happens to them when the Chaos War begins that lead them to live different lives. Sonic's and Shadow's lives are the ones. Each one lives a life separate from the other; however, fate still leads them to meet. They build a strange bond because their chaos energies sense their past mate-bond. Remember that finding a mate to bond with is a critical moment in a Chaos Born's life. I'll be having some fun information posted about this on the Tumblr blog soon. I will keep you all posted with that!

3\. Does Chaos have a dark counterpart? Does this mean there's a deity like Chaos who might have even existed before him or are they like Light and Dark Gaia, beings who have existed and clashed since the dawn of life?

One of my favorite questions! So, let's look at what is given to us first. We know that Chaos is a god. Since when? Well, he definitely existed during the Echidna Tribe time, so he must be at least that old. But could he have existed long before that? Welp! Let me give you a small spoiler! Chaos actually will be a result of something that happens after the Chaos War. What he does in that time will change the future. Now, that mysterious figure in the last chapter seemed familiar to some, right? Well, guess what? That person is also a _god._ I suggest looking back on that same chapter but at Knuckles' thoughts. Hint: transcendental power. This person is like a counterpart of Chaos, but not completely. Their relationship with each other has to do something with the events of Chaos Borns and D.L.R.P. Remember that journal entry about Kintobor pleading Mr. Peterson to return Betzalel. Yeah, that has to do with what becomes of Chaos and the counterpart. He's going to be making things a little interesting in this story….

4\. Since he has made his introduction will the mysterious person assist in Sonic's torture and so how?

Sorry, I had to change the name for the character since some are still possibly finding out who he is. But if you want to know, just read the last comment made by Yuki. Good job on finding who it was! Anyways, this guy has plans to do something in this timeline. Torturing Sonic is something he will not directly take part in but supplies ideas to the Doctor. You'll be surprised what his true intentions are. This character is someone you'll have to watch out and pay attention to. 

5\. What does Knuckles know that about Chaos Born that he is keeping to himself and will he tell anyone about Sonic's Dark side?

Okay, so good question. But I can't say much without spoiling it for all of you. However, I can tell you that Knuckles does not know _everything_ about what Sonic is. His Dark side is something that was promised to be kept a secret between them both. This was for a reason. And to add some suspense, let's just say he is cautious of the Doctor. Now, yes, Knuckles will probably tell someone about the hero's dark side, but once more, I can't say who. This dude is gonna be having a hard time with this battle, and he knows that Sonic depends on him for many things. There's a little exploration between their friendship and brother relationship. 

6\. Finally when will Dark Sonic make his introduction and how?

The same time Tikal makes her introduction. You must be thinking: well when will she be making her introduction? So, I say: Soon! I promise Dark Sonic will be coming soon, but you'll be getting glimpses of him throughout the chapters. How? I'm working on that. His introduction to the story is something I want to build on rather than just pop him into a chapter out of nowhere. Remember, his dark side was not always 'bad' but rather controlled. Except, things from his past life caused it to become corrupted and alter his thinking in that form. For this reason, I'll be changing from a corrupted Dark Sonic and controlled Dark Sonic (Caerulus/Sonny). This is vital to understand how Dark Sonic came to be the one we know as angry and evil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I am announcing that a part two to this Q & A will be made soon. So, if you have more questions, just comment them down below or email them to me at: samth1700@gmail.com. Don't be shy! Any questions are good questions!
> 
> As for new chapters, they will be posted soon!
> 
> I hope this little thing helps you all learn more about the story and what are the basic foundations for it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the four victims rest, the rest of the group decides to move on with their plans. Knuckles talks to Rouge about something important that relates to his ancestors.
> 
> The Doctor continues to test on Sonic and cause more havoc among Mobius. We also find out how our blue hero is fairing. However, Shadow intervenes in the hero's testing, but the evil scientist tries to find a way around the black hedgehog's questions.
> 
> We find out that someone from a different timeline has been in Present Mobius, but who exactly? What does he have to do with this whole thing? Some time-travelers continue their own search on that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A New Year, A New Chapter!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed your New Year's Eve and wish you all the best for 2021! I am happy for many things in my life, but most of all, I am proud of the work I have done with this fic. Every one of you all has supported me and waited on my stupid slow ass to post new material. For that, thank you! I cannot say how glad I am to receive positive comments and reviews of my fic :D
> 
> Moreover, I have discovered that I was not able to post the original work I wanted since it got deleted. It appeared that my computer had some connection issues, so I had to go out and buy a new one! But now, I am finally posting a new chapter and some others with new content and more suspense. 
> 
> Furthermore, these two things got updated over the time I was gone:  
> Tumblr Blog: https://that-one-person-022.tumblr.com/  
> Chaos Borns History Website: https://samth1700.wixsite.com/chaosborns
> 
> I suggest you look at them because they got some pretty juicy stuff! For example, more details are offered on the Chaos War, and a new topic is being explored: mating season. Yes, mating! I think most of you (hopefully) will like what I do with this since it involves a few (I think) steamy scenes between Betzalel and Caerulus (Sonny) in a future chapter. 
> 
> Fun question: Which Chaos Born gets pregnant: Light or Dark?  
> Comment your answers below!

_“_ _Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert! Red Alert!”_

_Blinding red flashes danced around every hallway. But his sharp eyes were not bothered. No. How could he be bothered by that when…when…_

_Betzalel was gone. Taken away from his side. His mate was ripped away from his grasp. They had promised that they would never do that to them!_

_Filthy humans and their lies, he thought._

_Sonny kept running towards where he knew the escape pods were. He needed to get out of here and find his mate._

_Once more, his unnatural speed proved to be his greatest gift from chaos energy. Something that Betzalel and he could only do as Chaos Borns. Another reason for why they were destined to be together…_

_“Sonny!”_

_The navy blue hedgehog halted at hearing the familiar voice. He turned around to see that Dr. Kintobor came around a corner. The man stood there, panting from the running._

_“Dr. K…”_

_The Doctor’s eyes glanced up at him, and he saw the sadness in them. Sadness from what he was doing. The way he was reacting. Surely, the older man had to understand him. He was without his bond mate. His love. The only thing that kept him from losing complete control of his mind…_

_“Please, Sonny, don’t do this. We can solve this issue if we work it out app—”_

_“They took Betz away from me! They promised they wouldn’t do this to us!”_

_“I know, Sonny! They broke that promise and took the most precious thing away from you. I know this is wrong, but please, let me fix this. I can fix this…”_

_His dark green eyes searched the face of the man he came to see as family. He wanted to leave this place and find Betz, but he knew his actions would only make things worse. But he was a Chaos Born, a creature with great power in his hands. He could search every surface and corner of the planet to find him. Even if it means tearing through the limbs—_

_He gasped at what he was thinking. No! He could not give in to those thoughts. Those ugly and awful thoughts…_

_“Sonny, please, I’ll bring Betzalel back…”_

_He shifted and saw the other approach him in small strides. If he was without his mate for too long, he would lose complete control of his sanity. But, if he went after those humans that stole him from his side, then he might do something that he would regret. Something that he knew Betzalel would not want him to do…_

_“Do you promise?”_

_Finally, the Doctor’s feet came to a stop some feet away from him. He knelt and opened his arms._

_“I promise I’ll do anything for you, Sonny.”_

_Just as he heard those words, he went crashing into the Doctor’s arms. He clung to the white lab coat. He let out all the tears that were sealed behind his mental walls. Ovi Kintobor was the only person he trusted and never would lie to him. This man showed him kindness and warmth, something that all other humans seemed to lack._

_Sonny whimpered as soft hands smoothed down his quills. The man rocked him like a small child and whispered the same thing over to him._

_“I promise.”_

* * *

“Well, I’m gonna head over to tell Esp about Charmy’s state. I don’t wanna have the guy worry over the kid’s health…”

“Alright, we’ll watch over them.”

Vector nodded and left her with the red echidna. They were inside one of the rooms that were used for storage, but with a little moving around, they managed to change it into something more comfortable for the four sleeping fighters.

Rouge sighed as she noticed that they hadn’t gone far in the fox’s plans. It turned out that the Doctor managed to bring them more problems at every corner they took. The bat thought this was all strange since the man never really got this far into…well defeating them. Sonic and his friends always won. Sometimes it took some help from them, but in the end, they had won.

Except for this time.

“We need to find Sonic first thing tomorrow morning.”

Her ears shifted in the guardian’s voice direction. Her teal eyes saw the red body that was sitting on a folding chair by the fox’s makeshift bed. He was staring at the kid.

“We need to wait for Silver and Blaze to get back. It seems that they did run into some issues on their end…”

“Then I’ll go in myself. Just send me the coordinates.”

The female agent frowned upon hearing her lover’s words. To hell would she let him go by himself to some unknown location.

“No. We need to go in together or we’ll be no ma—”

“Rouge, I _need_ to get to Sonic.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Look, Knuckles, I understand that he’s like your brother, but if we don’t plan this out well, we are going to be facing another round of what happened earlier.”

Rouge didn’t hear him argue back. Walking towards him, she placed a hand on a red shoulder. The bat could feel how tense he was. He might be still shaken up from earlier, she thought.

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

The echidna shifted in his seat. Rouge peered to look at the other’s face. She saw a small frown on her lover’s face. The bat knew that her boyfriend can sometimes be stubborn…well, he’s always stubborn, now that she thought about it.

“Knuckles, I know you might not be ready now, but please know that it’s better to talk with someone about these things, it doesn’t even have to be me. It’s not always the best to keep secrets…”

A gloved hand grasped at the one she had on the male’s shoulder. Knuckles’ eyes stared into hers. They continued for a couple more seconds before he started to talk again.

“You know why I guard the Master Emerald, right?”

She nodded.

“It was something that was passed down in your family’s generation. Right?”

“Yes, my ancestors before me were once the guardians of that emerald, but they were wiped out…”

The bat moved her other hand to place it on his head. Her hand glided up and down in small movements in a petting manner.

“By Chaos, I know that—”

“No. It was not Chaos.”

She stopped her petting and gave him a questioning look. Knuckles shifted once more before she went back to petting his head.

“Many think that it was Chaos because the being existed for a long time…but many don’t actually know where he came from. I don't even know of his exact origins.”

“So, you’re saying that Chaos is not…bad?”

The guardian nodded.

“Well, why would it then join the Doctor?”

The echidna sighed.

“It doesn’t know any better. For all we know, he must have been tricked into all of this. Eggman must have promised him something in return for his service…”

Rouge gulped at hearing this.

“Like Shadow…?”

“Rouge, he should know better, and clearly, he had proven that he was never with us, to begin with.”

The bat scowled at hearing him say that. She removed her hands from him and decided to bring another chair, from a corner, to sit next to the red echidna.

“No, Knuckles, it’s not fair how you decide to defend a being that supposedly doesn’t know what it's doing, and then accuse Shadow of doing the same thing. We don’t _know_ what reason Shadow had to join the Doctor.”

“Alright, I’ll let you have it for now, but I’m still suspicious about him.”

“Why?”

“Well, he has had a history with Eggman’s family and that’s—”

“No, you always treated him differently…even when he always helped us all out. I have seen how you treat him, especially around Sonic…”

“Have you noticed how those two hedgehogs are the only ones that know how to control chaos energy?”

Rouge tapped at her chin with an index finger. She did find it funny how Shadow and Sonic were the only ones to do things with the power of chaos energy. It’s like they were one of a kind…but of what?

“Yeah, I guess…”

“My ancestors have recorded everything they knew of chaos energy in scriptures. Once I read in one of them that there were these creatures that were believed to be _divine_ beings that controlled chaos energy…”

“Like Chaos?”

“Yeah, but for some reason, I couldn’t find other things on them. They were never mentioned again in any of the scriptures.”

“Doesn’t that sound strange?”

“I don’t know. My tribe only recorded what they believed to be the most important things.”

“Hmm. What about that Chaos Drive?”

Knuckles rubbed his neck with one hand. This was something the echidna wished she hadn’t mentioned, she thought.

“There once existed a being that was capable of using the same energy that the drive contained. According to the scriptures, he was known as Mephiles the Dark. He was made of pure chaos energy, but he was capable of turning any energy into something more…sinister.”

“Is he still alive?”

The red guardian looked at her once more.

“He was supposed to be sealed in something that was known as the Scepter of Darkness and destroyed. But with what I saw just back there, I’m thinking that it’s no longer true.”

“You think he got out somehow?”

“Probably.”

“But who would do that? As far as I heard you say, this Mephiles existed hundreds of years in the _past_ which means someone traveled to the past…” 

“That’s what I don’t understand. For all we know, Eggman has not invented time traveling yet, so it couldn’t be him.”

“Ugh, time-traveling. You need to talk with the experts about that…”

This time they both release long sighs. Rouge was already getting a headache. But she still had a question… 

“So, wait, what does this have to do with Chaos?”

“Although their origins remain unknown, I believe Chaos and Mephiles have encountered one another in the past. Something just tells me that those two are somehow connected…”

“So, we might be dealing with another god from another timeline? This just gets more _interesting_ by the moment…”

* * *

_“How could you?!”_

_“Sonny!”_

_“Everything you told me was a lie!”_

_“Sonny!”_

_“You said we could trust you!”_

_“Sonny!”_

_“Thanks to you, I lost Betzalel!”_

_“Sonny!”_

_“You are no different from those other monsters!”_

_“Sonny!”_

_“I fucking hate you!”_

_“Sonny! No!”_

His eyes were the first thing to open. Then he started to cough. Peach hands grabbed at his chest, a burning feeling could be felt in his lungs. He kept coughing, but his mind was trying to untangle itself from his previous…thoughts? Memories? He didn’t remember anything—

“Agh…”

His coughing fit turned into vomiting. Now, there was a mess on the floor. At least, he was able to turn onto his side before he threw upon himself. Wiping away the saliva from his mouth, he turned onto his back once more. His emerald eyes stared up at the ceiling of his prison cell. He doesn’t remember how he got here. The last thing he recalled was drowning in a tank…watching Eggman see him struggle…pushing him off the edge of his mind…into the darkness… 

He wasn’t trying to kill him, but instead, the mad scientist wanted him to _turn_. 

He shuddered at the thought. He couldn’t turn, not again. He already did it once, and he promised himself he wouldn’t do it again. 

He pushed away from the thoughts of the incident that drove him to turn _dark_. He shouldn’t be thinking about them, especially now that he knew what Eggman wanted.

Instead, his mind drifted again back to those things, whatever they were. He knew for a fact that it was triggered by the man, too. After all, he had called him _Sonny_. That voice was calling him that, but it sounded different than the Doctor’s. It sounded feminine…

Whoever she was, something happened that made him, at least he thinks so, become angry towards her. Thinking about that woman’s voice, he felt a rush of sadness wash over him. How could he feel hatred and sadness for someone at the same time, he thought. More importantly, since when did he ever hate someone. Sonic never pushed past those lines because he knew it wouldn’t be healthy for anyone. Heck, he couldn’t even hate Eggman, after everything’s he done. Well, the man was making him test that theory now…

_“Thanks to you, I lost Betzalel!”_

Another rush of sadness and pain washed over him. Who was Betzalel? Was this person someone important to him?

The blue hedgehog couldn’t recall anyone by that name unless it was someone he met before… 

Before he lost all his memories.

He never knew much about his past. It was all a blank page. A chunk of his young life was missing. He never knew his mother or father. He never knew if he had a sister or brother. He never knew where he was born. He never knew if he had any sort of home to run to. He never knew anything before waking up on that lonely beach. Nothing. He had nothing.

_You are nothing, hero._

He jumped and scampered to a corner of the room. He whimpered as he heard that voice again. That awful and ugly voice.

_You’re the awful and ugly one!_

Another whimper slipped past his peach lips. 

_You really thought I was that easy to escape…_

His trembling hands grabbed at his head. He clenched his eyes shut to concentrate on something else. Anything.

_Oh, you really don’t want to hear me, huh?_

Sonic growled at the voice. He hated that voice. He only ever heard it once before…

_Once? Oh, no! You and I go back a long, long time._

His peach lips twisted into a snarl, tired of being afraid. Tired of letting this _fucking_ voice get to him! It was his mind. He had to control it, not the other way around!

_Funny, you should say that because that’s what you said the first time you met me._

“Stop playing around! You’re not real!”

_Of course, I am! Without me, you would have died a long time ago. Don’t you remember?_

Sonic couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of that idea! How could this thing even help him! It was toying with his emotions, and it only made him feel worse. For a wrong, twisted second, he thought of drowning in that tank rather than listening to _this_. 

_See, you can’t deny you like the pain, even your own_.

“Agh! Leave me alone!”

Crawling over to the center of the room, again, the cobalt hedgehog’s eyes flickered from one side to the other. He searched the space for the voice, but deep down, he knew it was all a figment of his own mind. Something that resided deep inside of him. Hidden and guarded. Kept away from his everyday life, but even with all his friends and happiness, he was still breaking…

_You and me. We have always been together. Remember._

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness attacked him. The room was spinning. His emerald eyes were no longer focused. Everything was moving at once. He felt nauseous once more. Before he could empty another amount of bile and saliva, a white light flashed in the depths of his mind.

**_“Where am I?”_ **

**_“A research facility.”_ **

_Remember._

**_“You are known as DCB-05._ **

**_“No, my name is Sonny.”_ **

_Remember yourself._

**_“Why am I here?”_ **

**_“You are special, Sonny.”_ **

**_“Special?”_ **

_Remember everything._

**_“You are born different from others!”_ **

**_“Different?”_ **

_Remember your true purpose, hero._

**_“You are our future, Sonny.”_ **

_Remember what you really are…_

The cobalt speedster was shaking as the white light flashed once more in his fragile mind.

_You’re no hero. Or hedgehog. Or a normal mobian. No, you’re more than that._

He stopped breathing as the white light faded to show the worst thing he had ever seen. 

**_I am a god._ **

_You are a god._

Sonic didn’t move as he heard the voice and something akin to his own voice say the same thing. He swallowed the thickness of his saliva down, and his eyes rested upon his legs. Emerald eyes saw his pelt color. It was still blue. A dark blue, though. He knew Eggman’s torture was beyond forgivable, but what he saw right now…in his mind… 

Maybe the man wasn’t the real monster.

After all, Sonic was the one covered in blood.

* * *

Her fingers tapped against the smooth surface. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a G.U.N. insignia on one of the corners of the computerized desk. She heard the soft footsteps of her sliver friend behind her. He was unsettled. 

Who wouldn’t he be?

They just learned of someone that was from another timeline, _and_ they were helping the Doctor. Blaze found this all too fortunate for the Doctor. Something like this just doesn’t happen coincidentally as all their other problems build too. Somehow, this had to be planned.

“Who is this?”

Finally, the feline thought.

“Rouge, this is Blaze. We’re contacting you from HQ through a secured line.”

“Wait, why?”

She sighed and looked over at her friend that was now standing next to her.

“We had a little problem with escorting help. The Doctor had managed to send out his robots to attack HQ, but we successfully disposed of them.”

“Just like I guessed, huh.”

The princess could practically hear the smirk that the female bat was sporting. Rouge always managed to show everyone off how right she always was.

“Rouge, we have bigger issues.”

The female was chuckling as the feline went about to change the topics quickly.

“Tell me about it. Did you know we might be fighting a god from another freaking timeline? It’s crazy—”

“God?”

Blaze frowned upon hearing this, and Silver groaned at hearing the addition of their problems.

“Yeah, apparently, Knuckles said that Chaos managed to become Perfect because of a Chaos Drive that contained something so _shitty_. Trust me, you have to be glad you weren’t there to see it.”

“What does this have to do with the god from another timeline?”

“Well, the Doctor obtained this drive somehow with a source that hadn’t existed for _hundreds_ of years.”

Her ears caught the gasp that her friend released. White clad hands grabbed her shoulders and golden hues stared into her eyes. Blaze furrowed her eyebrows at Silver’s behavior.

“That’s it!”

“What are you talking about Silver?”

He pointed at the communication device she was using and looked at her again.

“The god from another timeline is the person that G.U.N. managed to register. The Doctor is working with a god from…the past…oh my god…oh my god!”

The silver hedgehog turned around and began his frantic pacing across the room. Blaze looked back at the device. It looked like they were going to do a little more investigating on that _god_.

“Blaze?”

She cleared her throat and answered.

“We heard a similar theory here from the Commander. They had scanned the Doctor’s base at Mystic Jungle and found an interesting reading of energy waves.”

“I guess my surprise was ruined. Do you have any idea how something like this can happen?”

“I cannot deduce anything unless I know where and when this person came from. I need to gather as much information as I can before we head back. Your Commander seems to know something, after all.”

“Yeah, yeah. I'll talk with the others about it. Keep in contact then.”

“Rouge?”

“Hm.”

“Is Amy alright?”

“Well, she did her best, but she fainted at the end.”

The pyrokinesis princess’s mind began racing and her breathing increased.

“What do you mean she fainted? Is she injured? Does she require medical attention? I should head—”

“Blaze! Calm down. Your little pink lover is fine. We checked her, and she just fainted. She’s resting now. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Restraining herself from yelling at the agent, she took a deep breath in. It wasn’t Rouge’s fault after all. If she said Amy was fine, then her girlfriend was fine. She needed to think that.

“A-alright…we’ll keep you posted on anything. Please have Amy contact me right after she wakes up.”

“Of course.”

With that, the line ended, and the princess closed her eyes. She knew that Amy was a strong fighter, but it was times like these that she wished she had never criticized the pink hedgehog for fussing over her. It wasn’t fair since she was doing the same thing a moment ago. 

Getting a hold of herself, she took another breath in and turned to face the other hedgehog.

“Silver, we need to talk with the Commander.”

The hectic hedgehog stopped his pacing and faced her.

“Again?”

She nodded and approached him.

“Yes, we need to find everything we can about this person, or as Rouge mentioned, a god.”

“Then what?”

Light golden eyes looked into his darker ones. 

They had to protect their future and present by changing the past.

“We make sure this person never visited the Doctor in the first place.”

* * *

_She moved towards a chair. The front secretary told her to wait inside. The ticking of the clock echoed in the room. Rebekah chewed on her lower lip as she waited for Mr. Peterson._

_Her blue eyes wandered around the room. Many certificates and pictures decorated the walls. Of course, this man had done so many brilliant things, she thought, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see all his awards for doing so._

_The opening of a door alerted her of the new presence._

_“Ah! Ms. Lynn, you made it.”_

_She stood and smiled at the older man. He approached her and offered her a hand. Rebekah took it and greeted him._

_“There’s little traffic at this time. It’s something I like about early mornings.”_

_A gentle laugh was his response._

_“That is true! Now, sit down, sit down. Let’s talk about that blood sample you found.”_

_She took her seat and saw him click through his computer. He probably wanted to bring up the picture I sent him, she thought._

_“Here it is.”_

_He turned the screen for her to look at. Blue eyes didn’t see the blood sample she sent though. It was something different. A bunch of data._

_“What is this?”_

_Mr. Peterson leaned back into his chair and smiled._

_“This is Project Light.”_

_Rebekah's eyes widened at hearing this. She had heard of this before. A new project that was supposed to revolutionize the use of medicine and vitamins supplied to soldiers in combat. She remembered how exciting it was to read about it in the newspaper. Breaking News always popped the headline before any other news company, especially when it came to this man._

_“I’ve heard about it! I find it amazing to see how you want to provide such a change for the better of our people.”_

_“Thank you, Ms. Lynn. I have always wanted to lead such a project as my ultimate work! Project Light is something I have researched for many years. Questions about how to create the substance, what side effects it would produce, and so on. Now, I have been able to answer many of these questions…”_

_Her blue eyes looked up from the screen to the man in front of her. She knew how much effort and time it took for something to be planned out for possible scientific research. She had done her own efforts when it came to her term paper during her final year at Spagonia University._

_“May I ask you a question regarding the project?”_

_Mr. Peterson nodded._

_“What is the source you decided on to make the medical supplements?”_

_“Ah, good question. That is actually something I wanted to talk to you about since you brought up the blood sample to my attention.”_

_The older man moved over to a far side of the room, sifting through some papers from the cabinet that lied on that wall. He plucked a few folders from it and returned to where she sat. He placed a gray folder in front of her but didn’t open the cover. Rebekah saw Mr. Peterson frown._

_“Promise me, Ms. Lynn, that whatever I show you now will remain confidential. I do not wish for my work to seep into the public eye just yet.”_

_She nodded and placed a palm on her chest._

_“I promise you, Mr. Peterson, I would never do that to you and your hard work.”_

_He smiled at her and nodded once more before he finally flipped the cover._

_At first glance, everything looked disorganized, but to her trained eyes, she managed to see the sprouts of ideas and questions that were written down. Detailed sketches gave away to something she believed to be a mobian. Rebekah was surprised to find a mobian in the man’s work. She raised her eyes to him._

_“Mobians?...”_

_Blue eyes took another glance at the papers before giving a confusing expression._

_“Originally, I thought that studying a mobian’s structure and vitals would give me an idea since they are known to live a longer life than humans…”_

_“Yeah, I remembered how I found that their bodies were able to resist viruses more than our own which makes them stronger… “_

_“Correct! I continued that path down to find any possible scenario in which a specific mobian obtained the longest and healthiest life…”_

_Rebekah never was able to figure it out herself, but she knew Mr. Peterson had better chances if there even was a chance of such a creature._

_“A possible outlier in the mobian population, then.”_

_“Yes, my research team and I were able to ask many volunteers for their help, but we found something quite interesting among a certain group of mobians.”_

_“Really?”_

_“Indeed, you see…”_

_His right hand grabbed the folder in front of her and replaced it with a different one. He flipped open and spread out the papers across the desk. He pointed to the first one in front of her._

_“A feline mobian had shown peculiar blood results when compared to other mobians.”_

_“Medical history?”_

_Mr. Peterson shook his head and put another paper next to the one in front._

_“We checked her and the family. Nothing. Not even other felines showed similar results. So, we asked her other questions. I thought she might have come into contact with a strange new disease or chemical that we didn’t know of, but…”_

_Rebekah looked up from the papers to the scientist. He had this pensive look on his face._

_“But nothing came up that might have interrupted her health in any way.”_

_“These results are similar to the one I identified, right?”_

_“Yes, Ms. Lynn. The feline’s sample and your’s are quite identical.”_

_She took in this information and thought back to her original question._

_“Are these individuals’ cells what you are basing the medication on?”_

_Mr. Peterson stood from his seat and walked to the large window that gave away to the other smaller buildings of the research center. She tilted her head and opened her mouth to ask something else, but…_

_“Ms. Lynn, this feline was about your age when we discovered her strange blood cells...and sadly, our last as well. She was supposed to report to us one morning, but she never came. And not the next day or the following day. She disappeared off the face of this planet. We never knew what truly happened to her, but we offered the family some help, after all the young mobian had given us a new path to this project.”_

_Rebekah frowned at hearing the incident, but her heart squeezed at the thought of the female being likely dead…_

_“But there’s more like her, aren’t there?”_

_He turned away from the window and looked into her blue eyes._

_“Yes. And just like her, they have proved to be quite abnormal.”_

_“How much?”_

_The older man walked back to his seat and placed his hands on the desk. His eyes glanced down at the papers, but he continued to speak._

_“More than our minds can comprehend.”_

* * *

Kintobor?

Dr. Lynn?

Those names were familiar. Deep down, he knew they were. But, where did he know those names?

Shadow frowned as he repeated those names. Especially the first one. 

Kintobor…Kin-to-bor… 

He spoke it softly on his tongue, sounding each syllable. 

Kintobor. That damn jackal had gotten to him, again! Shadow was still shocked that the jackal had confronted him with this information, whatever it was. However, the masked idiot didn’t have to know this. It had clearly agitated the other one. Shadow felt it. But what could he have wanted from this? What good does the mercenary gain from this?

_He’s not the monster, remember._

He stopped in the middle of the hallway he was walking through. His ears perked at any slight movement around him, but he didn’t sense anything. Anyone.

_Oh, silly! I’m in your head!_

What the actual fuck.

_Fuck, huh? Well, I don’t think it’s time for that now._

That disgusting voice. The black hedgehog remembered that voice from earlier. From Sonic’s torture…

_Oh, no! Don’t come to me with that! It was you that let it happen._

He clenched his fists as the voice echoed their judgment of him. He knew he couldn’t do anything! He was undercover to help Sonic. He had no choice. Besides, he took care of the pro—

Frowning at his thoughts, he scoffed at the ridiculous idea of having to explain himself to some crazy voice that his mind decided to conjure up now of all days.

_But don’t you see, I was there since your creation, Project Shadow._

The dark agent shivered at hearing the voice but decided to ignore it. He started to walk once more in the direction of the control room. He hoped that the Doctor was still there, knowing that the Zeti could have brought his attention to something else. Like those G.U.N. weapons—

_How rude, ignoring me. Don’t you want to hear how I know of your past…or maybe you want to know your future?_

More steps and no thoughts.

_Will you be willing to ignore me after every beautiful memory I have saved of Maria for you?_

No. He almost tripped over thin air. Ignore it, Shadow thought. It’s all in his mind. Nothing it said was real. Only his own mind playing games.

_It only takes one word for me to erase everything you have of Maria in memories…_

No, he controlled his mind and everything in it. This voice had to be a result of that moment he had when he was to destroy the hero’s home.

_Oh, you mean that door! I forgot what exactly I erased from your mind last time. I guess you forgot about your true nature, after all. What a shame…_

The agent stopped in his tracks and blinked as he heard the voice. For a moment, he thought it was giving him something useful, but just as it came, it left. True nature? He knew his true nature. He was the Ultima—

_Ultimate Lifeform, I know. But that’s not your true nature, Project._

He hated being called a project. That wasn’t what he was. He was someone just like anybody else. He knew it. That voice had no right calling him something so _materialistic_.

_But you are a project. You always were one. From the very beginning, all everyone did was experiment on you._

Instead of jabbing at the voice, he decided to hurry his steps to find that control room. The sooner he got to the Doctor, the sooner he would be rid of this voice.

_Don’t reject this! Stop it!_

He began to jog.

_You are supposed to accept who you are this time!_

Every corner was a sharp turn.

_Embrace it! Embrace your light, Project!_

His eyes caught sight of a familiar door down the corridor.

_If you don’t, you will be no match for_ **HIM** _!_

“That’s not wh— Shadow?! What’s wrong?!”

The striped hedgehog had burst through the door and crouched onto his knees. His heart was racing and his breathing came in short, quick breaths. The voice had disappeared after he came through the Doctor’s door. Said Doctor had voiced his concerns about the sudden intrusion.

His crimson eyes looked at the tall man. His gaze then turned to the red beast that stood near him. He shook away the shivers he had gotten from the last comment.

“Sorry, Doctor. I was overcome with some interesting thoughts.”

The man echoed his words.

“Interesting thoughts?”

He nodded and stood up straight. He finally controlled his breathing and walked up to the duo.

“Yes, thoughts that I would like to talk to you about.”

The Doctor stared at him with a blank expression. Shadow’s eyes did not waver from his stare.

“Is this urgent?”

He nodded.

“Very well, Zavok, we will continue this talk afterward. Return to your station with Metal and wait for instructions.”

The Zeti beast nodded and gave one more glance at him before leaving.

Shadow watched as the other person in the room took a seat. The Doctor nodded for him to continue.

“Did you ever have an alias?”

“Alias? Not that I know of. What does this have to do wi—”

“Kintobor.”

“...what?”

The black hedgehog walked over to the screens that were displayed on the other wall. His crimson eyes saw words crossed out. Everything they had done so far, according to the Doctor’s wishes.

“Kintobor. Does that not sound familiar to you?”

“Why should it?”

“Kintobor is Robotnik spelled backward.”

Silence.

It turned out that the jackal was right, he thought. The scientist did know something. Something that he was hiding from them, or maybe just him…

“Do you like outer space, Shadow?”

He frowned. The same question from before. What was the man playing at?

“Just like before, I cannot hold it in a good or bad light.”

His dark ears caught the sound of a small chuckle.

“Oh, my boy. You have not changed much at all…”

The striped agent turned around and faced the Doctor. The man wasn’t even looking at him. No, he was staring straight ahead, as if he was lost in thought, again. Was he experiencing deja vu?

However, that comment…

“What do you mean?”

Eyes behind round glasses looked in his direction. A small smile presented itself on the Doctor’s lips. 

“Did Infinite come to you with this information?”

Shadow thought about giving away the mercenary’s hidden information.

“If it was someone else, then what?”

“Then I would say you’re not doing enough to keep all the others in check.”

He was surprised at hearing the man say this.

“Are you insinuating that this was all concocted by your _allies_? If so, would I really be the one to blame, Doctor?”

The small smile disappeared.

“Now, hedgehog, don’t test me.”

“Then tell me why, as your right-hand person, I was not informed of the Chaos Drive that was given to Chaos for transforming.”

A slight hand movement from the Doctor caught his attention. It was small, but his sharp vision still caught it.

“Because I deemed it unimportant to your priorities. Remember who is in charge here, Shadow.”

“Without this knowledge, Doctor, I am unable to provide the necessary assistance to the rest of the group, or as you put it, keep them in check.”

The Doctor sighed and rubbed his temple. 

“What of those interesting thoughts, or was that a lie?”

The black hedgehog walked back to the front of the desk.

“No, I was speaking the truth. I recently experienced some unusual memory, or at least, I think it is a memory.”

The man frowned at hearing this.

“What was the memory?”

“Doctor, did you know of _all_ the research the Ark worked on?”

“Do you mean besides you?”

He nodded.

“Shadow, you were the only thing that my grandfather took on in that colony. Does this have to do with your memory?”

“I believe so, but since you say that I was the only project aboard the colony, then I cannot be sure of exactly what I saw then.”

“What did you see?”

Shadow already gave the scientist enough details about having a memory about the Ark. Giving him more would be too dangerous, especially now that it appeared that the Doctor kept his own fair share of information. However, he needed as many details as he could get out of the Doctor, even if not all of it is true.

“A secret lab of some sort.”

Well, he could always make a twist on his own part. The Doctor wouldn’t know any better and held no way of knowing if he was lying or not. Therefore, he figured he could manipulate the information on his end as well.

“Secret lab?”

“Yes, this is why I asked about any other possible experiments that were performed on the Ark.”

“How strange…however, I would not know anything since I only learned about you through the files that G.U.N. kept locked. Unless…”

Shadow frowned. Unless…G.U.N. had been hiding something as well. Damn it. He should have known better. The Commander was never fond of him, but he would think that nothing would be kept from him. If the Commander knew better, he would know he should not. After all, not even the organization can keep him under full control. Shadow knew this.

“I wouldn’t be surprised that they still hid things from me, but I would if they did from _you_ , Doctor.”

“It looks like they did. I couldn't have gathered all their secret information back then, Shadow. I’m a brilliant man, but even I cannot do everything. For all we know, that information that might exist could have been hidden somewhere else. Don’t you think?”

“What about the Ark?”

The scientist sighed.

“No such lab appeared on any maps or scanners when I first visited it. It seems this could be something about your time aboard the Ark.”

Shadow tensed.

“You mean I could have made it up?”

“You did have an…upsetting time there. Your mind could potentially be tricking you into thinking that was a secret lab. Maybe it was a particular memory that you experienced for the first time. May I remind you that you are not fond of labs, either.”

“In other words, a bad memory.”

The Doctor nodded.

Without more questions, the room became silent once more. Crimson eyes shifted to the window that was behind the man. He looked into the dark mass called space. His entire childhood was spent in this same mass. He remembered how he enjoyed star-gazing with a certain girl. 

Maybe it was a bad memory.

“I assisted Metal with retrieving the Master Emerald.”

“Ah! Yes, I have finally managed to take that stone away from the gullible guardian.”

“I congratulate you, Doctor, but I cannot fathom how you figured out the location of the emerald. As far as I knew, not even G.U.N. or the hero’s group of fighters knew of the place…”

Standing up from his seat, the old scientist walked around his desk, moving towards the entrance.

“Let’s just say I have my ways of learning the truth.”

* * *

_“Do you have any relation to Shadow the Hedgehog?”_

_Green, serpent eyes looked at him. The Doctor had wished his new partner would look less…monstrous…_

_“Why do you ask, Doctor?”_

_He nodded to the figure’s body._

_“Your form is similar to his.”_

_“Really? It’s been so long since I last saw the young Chaos Born, yet it sounds like he has not changed much.”_

_The Doctor stopped his current task and turned to face the dark figure._

_“Chaos Born?”_

_“Do you not recall what they are?”_

_He frowned at the strange question._

_“Am I supposed to?”_

_The dark figure looked at him for a few seconds before a low chuckle echoed in his lab. Another thing he wished his partner would not do._

_“I keep forgetting that you are not the same, Doctor. It appears that Chaos’ doing truly ruined your memory. In that case, let me help you remember…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> A whole chapter dedicated to our characters' pasts...


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A whole chapter dedicated to our characters' pasts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here are some details on the lives of some of the other characters...hope you all like it!

_D.L.R.P.-GOV Proposal:_

_This proposal defines the objectives and measures that can be taken by the research facility: Defense Lab Of The Recovery Of Physiology. They are required to only use these measures to continue their research. All information below has been finalized by the Board of Directors of this nation._

_OBJECTIVES:_

  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted to learn of new methods to help citizens with viruses and diseases._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted under civic manners and thoroughly explained to the public._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted using the funds provided by the government and official representatives. Other donors need to be reported to fund the research facility._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted by professional and licensed individuals that carry knowledge and expertise of the area. All are hired through the Board of Directors._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is updated and keeps the Board of Directors informed of any progress or changes to any project._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted under the research center’s premises. Any other research can be conducted on licensed and governmental institutions only._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted and analyzed thoroughly before making any hypothesis or claim official. Evidence needs to be presented to the Board of Directors._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted with voluntary subjects. No enforcement of test subjects can be used. Legal action can be taken if this is done._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted in search of revolutionizing our methods and applications in our governmental institutions, including the military and weapons._


  * _All research by D.L.R.P. is conducted with a hope of changing our future for a brighter one._



_EXCEPTIONS:_

  * _Possible outbreak allows D.L.R.P. to take immediate action to stop the spread._


  * _National emergencies, claimed by the government, allows D.L.R.P. to resort to their own methods to keep their records safe and secure._


  * _Classified members of the Board of Directors can provide funds, without reporting, and allow D.L.R.P. to take a necessary action they deem right._



_WARNINGS:_

  * _If D.L.R.P. conducts experiments, without the Directors’ knowledge, then all funds are suspended and participants are under investigation._


  * _If D.L.R.P. conducts self-projects, they will immediately revoke all licensed specialists and scientists in the center._


  * _If D.L.R.P. does not report regularly, the government has the right to initiate an investigation._


  * _If D.L.R.P. conducts experiments with forced test subjects, then the government has the right to initiate an investigation and shut down the experiment. Further consequences are determined upon the evidence found by investigators._


  * _If D.L.R.P. uses other means to conduct their own experiments, the whole facility will shut down permanently._



* * *

_After learning of the new discovery, Mr. Peterson offered her more information on the unusual mobian. The feline mobian proved to be something quite fascinating!_

_Rebekah wondered what exactly happened to her. Why did she suddenly disappear? Did anyone else know what the feline really was?_

_The older man had given her an overview of what he planned to do with this information. Project Light would be based on the features of these creatures, Chaos Borns. According to his studies, Mr. Peterson figured that the features of these creatures derived from chaos energy. Rebekah was amazed at how this was possible since as far as she knew, mobians were born with an energy signature, but never had she heard about them being able to use it. Chaos energy was a strange concept. Very few individuals understood how this unusual energy worked. Her mother was one of those few._

_Rebekah remained with Mr. Peterson for about an hour before she left for her office at D.L.R.P. Along the trip to her office, she continued to think about the discovery of Chaos Borns. Her mind thought back to her time at Spagonia University. Rebekah spent endless hours learning all she could about mobians. But this…_

_She immediately thought of a certain professor she had to talk with. Rebekah promised she wouldn't talk to anyone about Mr. Peterson's work, but this didn't mean she couldn't do her own research on such creatures. Maybe Professor Pickle had something in his personal library, she thought._

_She sighed._

_Deep down she still felt uneasy about all this. Her mother had never talked to her about this. Her blue eyes caught some dates that went back as far as seven years. A time when her mother was still alive._

_A time…_

_When her mother would come home and distance herself from her. She remembered how her mother became less bright and spent nights in front of her personal computer, staring at the screen._

_Could her mother have known the existence of these creatures already?_

_If so, what could have possibly caused her mother to become so different?_

_Rebekah thought she knew her mother well, but it appeared that she did not. She became more unsettled as she wondered if her mother's death had anything to do with this._

_Blue eyes saw the D.L.R.P. building coming up in her front view. She had work to do. Samples to oversee. Papers to write._

_Instead, she passed the oncoming turn she was supposed to take and continued down the street. Rebekah followed the familiar route to Spagonia University._

_She needed to know the truth. Even if it meant breaking a promise of another person. Her mother worked too hard and tried everything to keep secrets from her. Evidently, it only ended her life. Rebekah needed to know what those secrets were._

_All her secrets._

* * *

_Professor Reymond Pickle, a smart man, defined that all mobians carried energy signatures. Each one was unique to the mobian; none were two alike. With further studying, the man was able to explore the context of chaos energy, and he was granted multiple awards for these efforts. Therefore, it was no surprise the man decided to teach an upper class dedicated to the study of chaos energy and living organisms._

_Rebekah took the class in her junior year at the university. She admitted that it was one of the hardest classes she took on. But she loved challenges. And so did Professor Pickle, apparently. The man and her bonded over the subject more than anything else. From this, her professor saw her as a bright child and took her on as a sort of apprentice. She learned much under the man's teachings. And it was all worth it._

_She graduated with high honors and received an award for her final term paper. She decided to focus on mobians' DNA and combining them. A difficult task but fruitful to earning experience and recognition. Through it all, she learned she had found a friend in the fifty-year-old man, Professor Pickle. Not to mention that he had met her mother once during one of his meetings when they were younger._

_Parking her car near the art and history building, she walked to the lecture room she had visited many times as a student._

_Knocking twice, she opened the door and saw empty chairs. Her blue eyes caught sight of an old man standing by a blackboard. She walked down the steps that led to the front of the room. She couldn't help but smile at the older man, who never ceased to spend his free hours in his classroom._

_"Bek, what brings you here into my class? I thought you left me for good!"_

_"Oh, Professor! Why would I do that?"_

_Turning around, the grey-haired man fixed his glasses, and he grinned at seeing her._

_"Well, who could possibly turn down an offer from Keith Peterson! I hear he's making it big this year!"_

_She approached the man, hugging him, and giggled at his comments. Releasing him from the hug, Rebekah smiled at the man that had changed her life. He guided her where her grandfather couldn't, and where her mother would have done but was no longer present to do so. After all, college was a hard stage in life._

_"Ah, but Professor, have you forgotten how famous you are as well?"_

_Shaking his head, the man walked over to his desk, littered with papers._

_"Oh! You know my time of fame is long over! I'm just an old man trying to teach a bunch of younger people about something that probably won't matter in the long run.”_

_“Come on, now. You do know the reason why I’m even working with Mr. Peterson is because of your help, Professor. You have managed to help this girl survive the hardest days of her life.”_

_The man turned around, a paper in his hand, and chuckled at her words._

_“College will never get any easier. Not to mention, your mother was also a hard worker...she got far in her life. I wouldn't expect any less from you, Bek.”_

_Rebekah sighed and fondly smiled at the memory of her mother. Indeed, everyone knew she was an amazing woman and an intelligent scientist._

_“I know…which is why I really wanted to follow in her footsteps. Now, I’m a guiding scientist for one of Mr. Peterson’s projects…”_

_“How’s that coming along?”_

_She decided to take a seat on one of the chairs that served as seats for the students, in this lecture hall. The man walked back to the board to continue planning his lesson, she assumed._

_“Really well! I’m liking the new experience I’m receiving from the lab…”_

_“But?”_

_Rebekah pouted at seeing how the older man knew her too well. He did remind her of her grandfather sometimes…_

_“Well, I kind of need your help with something.”_

_The man stopped writing on the board and shifted to look over his shoulder in her direction. He raised a bushy eyebrow as if he was silently asking her what could he assist her with._

_“Have you ever heard of creatures born with the power to control chaos energy?”_

_Professor Pickle’s eyes remained on her, but her blue eyes saw the small frown that formed on his face. Slowly, he shifted his gaze to the side, avoiding her own curious gaze. Now, it was her time to frown. This man had never, in her years of knowing him, made such a gesture when they talked about his favorite subject. Forsake, this man was always enthused to talk about the subject. But now, it seemed that he hesitated to talk about it…_

_“What an absurd question—”_

_“My mother knew they existed.”_

_The professor looked her over with wide eyes. Now, she knew that this topic was somehow sensitive, to everyone, apparently._

_“Professor, please. I…I need to know why my mother hid this from me. Why she became so sick…”_

_Returning his view to the board, she thought he would not answer her questions, but instead, the man sighed and fully turned around. He walked over to the desk and collected all his papers, ordering them into a neat pile. He grabbed the small bag that lies next to the desk and placed all the papers inside. Her blue eyes saw him do all this from her sitting position. Rebekah was about to ask him about his sudden departure, but he answered first._

_“Follow me.”_

_Rebekah stood from her seat and followed the man towards the back of the room. They stopped at a door, behind it was supplies and textbooks that he often used in his lectures. She thought of it as his personal library. Waiting for him to open the locked door, she checked her watch. It was ten in the morning. As long as she returned to the lab by noon, she would be fine._

_Her ears heard the clicking of the door being opened, and then she followed behind the man that gestured to her to come in. The room was very large. Large enough to house three, long bookcases, each one against a wall of the closet. Her feet felt the soft padding of the velvet carpet that decorated the floor. Her nose caught the faint scent of pine tree in the air, confirming it when she saw the scented candle that had long been turned off, on a small table. Literally his personal library._

_The professor walked over to a corner of the room, opening a file cabinet to put away the documents from his bag. Once he closed it, he turned to her._

_“How much do you know?”_

_“Nothing much. I just know they exist among us.”_

_The professor nodded and crouched down. He patted the carpet around. Rebekah was confused by his actions. Was he looking for something?_

_“Where is it…ah!”_

_Blue eyes saw the older male lift up a piece of the carpet, revealing a trap door, and a small, squared scanner next to it. The professor applied his thumb on the scanner before there was a green flash and beep. Rebekah could only stare with shock at the hidden secret of the professor. He never showed her this. More importantly, why was everyone hiding things from her?_

_“Now, Bek, your mother was an extraordinary woman, and I knew that she worked with Keith when you were younger. But, there’s something I haven’t told you…”_

_She waited for the man to continue, his gaze was on the trap door, and clearly, he was having a hard time telling her all this. But what mattered was that he was telling her._

_“Your mother had come to me a couple of weeks before her incident had happened at the lab.”_

_Then she remembered. The days her mother would arrive late into the night, explaining that she was behind on some things back at the lab, and needed to complete them before the deadlines. Has she been visiting her professor this entire time, she thought._

_“I thought you only met her once.”_

_Kneeling on the ground, he finally turned to face her, and with another sigh, he shook his head._

_“I did, but she had contacted me, in hopes of finding more information on these things. She wanted to know if it was safe for…”_

_“Project Light?”_

_Silence._

_He turned his attention back to the trap door and opened it. Rebekah caught sight of some stairs that went down into a dimly lit room. At least, that’s what it looked like from where she stood. The man climbed down a few steps, only his head sticking out, and he gestured for her to follow him down._

_She nodded and walked down the steps before she heard him yell something._

_“Make sure to close it behind you!”_

_Her hands grabbed at the side handle from inside the trap door and closed it. Then she continued her path down the steps, where the light seemed to brighten more. Did the university know this was here?_

_Deep into the room, she walked down the steps, her eyes catching sight of small paintings on the wall. Every few steps she went down, a new one would be seen. It was somewhat difficult to see them, but she could make out some outlines of…angels? They seemed to be almost similar, but their faces were not human. Her feet finally reached the smooth, tiled floor. Her eyes swept the room, watching everything with great amazement. Endless rows of books littered the walls, small figurines placed on a small bookcase, and a large set of equipment on one side. She couldn’t believe all this was down here!_

_“Where are we, Professor?”_

_The man, now standing next to the small bookcase, looked over at her and smiled._

_“These, Bek, are the last remaining records of long and ancient creatures that your mother and I have been able to learn about. They are what you are in search of. They are Chaos Borns.”_

_Rebekah gasped at hearing all this. Her mother…her mother did know of them. She knew about them. She had all along. But why hide this? What did this all have to do with Project Light? Was Mr. Peterson aware of this?_

_“This…this…she knew.”_

_Professor Pickle walked over to her and sighed._

_“Yes, she did. She and I had explored the origins behind Chaos Borns long before…before she died.”_

_She shook her head and turned around to face the other side._

_“Why? Why did she hide this? What need did she have to hide all this from me?! She could’ve told me! We told each other everything! Why?!”_

_Her small sobs shook her frame and felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Professor Pickle offer her a small handkerchief. Tears slid down her cheeks, her mind struggling to find that this was the reason why her mother died. Her mother died trying to keep this a secret. For what, she still couldn’t figure out why!_

_Cleaning her face from her tears, she cleared her throat and decided to question her professor, a man she had learned to trust, but now…_

_“My mother kept this a secret, right? So, Professor, explain to me why. Tell me what all this had to do with her death. With Project Light.”_

_The professor looked at her with a sad expression before he moved them over to the other side of the room. He gestured for her to sit down on the small chair next to one he was already sitting on._

_“Rebekah, your mother didn’t have a choice in hiding this from you. She needed to keep this a secret because she wanted for you to be safe.”_

_“Safe?! She lied to me!”_

_“Just like I did as well. All this time, I knew your mother more than I had told you, and I promised her I would look out for you when the time came. Rebekah, you need to understand that all she did was for your best. She didn’t want to involve you in all this problem. It wasn’t safe.”_

_“Why, though? Mr. Peterson already knows about Chaos Borns, so what use did my mother have in hiding all this?”_

_“Chaos Borns are not something you just discover and find interesting. No, these creatures are beyond what we can comprehend. They are evolutionary beings made for something we, as humans, cannot even begin to imagine.”_

_His words brought her mind back to her talk with Mr. Peterson. He had described the creatures in a similar way._

_“What are they exactly?”_

_Professor Pickle shook his head._

_“Just like I said, evolutionary beings. They are capable of so many things that we would consider impossible.”_

_“Like longevity of life?”_

_His eyes averted to hers and blinked. She elaborated._

_“Mr. Peterson showed me his project...he said the blood from these things are unique.”_

_“Things? No, Bek, they are creatures. Just like you and me. If anything, they are more worthy than any of us.”_

_She rolled her eyes at his argument._

_“You make them sound as if they were gods.”_

_Silence._

_Blue eyes saw the older man lean his head back a little. Was that a smile on his face?_

_“Professor, you know I was—”_

_“No, Rebekah, you’re not wrong. Chaos Borns are gods. Our gods.”_

_“Oh, stop it! They are no gods! They are just unnaturally born with the power to control a sort of energy. They cannot be gods!”_

_“Why not?”_

_She frowned. This was all absurd!_

_“Well, we’re humans, and those creatures are mobians.”_

_The man chuckled at her response._

_“Oh dear, and here I thought you were open-minded! Come now, Bek, appearances don’t matter, you should know this.”_

_She was frustrated and upset. All this was just making her get a headache. She shot her watch a small glance. It was almost eleven. She still had an hour._

_“Fine. For your sake, let’s say they’re gods. Now, can you please explain to me why my mother hid this from Mr. Peterson or what it could possibly have to do with Project Light?”_

_“Your mother wanted to make sure this was something the lab could explore. She was unsure of these creatures’ abilities when she first witnessed a blood sample from one of the Chaos Borns—”_

_“Wait, my mother discovered the first blood sample?”_

_He nodded._

_“Yes, she had tracked down one of them. I think it was a small hedgehog boy. She came to me with the results and told me this was revolutionary. She was surprised to see living beings that have genetics that allowed them to survive any possible thing.”_

_“So, what made her change her mind?”_

_Professor Pickle stood from his seat and walked over to the rows of books. He skimmed the titles until he plucked one from the set. He returned to his seat._

_“The fact that their prime state is quite fascinating...and dangerous.”_

_He flipped through the book and stopped on a page. He handed her the book._

_“You see, Bek, Chaos Borns are gods because they, like all divine beings, are able to possess more powerful abilities besides having a longer existence.”_

_Her blue eyes saw the drawing._

_“Oh my…”_

_“Now, you see why, Bek?”_

_She looked at every spot with her full focus, committing every detail to memory, and slowly nodded._

_“Well, now, let me show you more about them…”_

* * *

_In the dark blanket of stars and moon, a large space station continued to follow its own orbit. Inside the said station, a young man observed the planet that made up his home. His last visit to the beautiful planet was almost four years ago. He had spent those years up here, in his new home._

_White walls, illuminated by lighting placed below the edges, brightened every time it sensed someone walking down the corridor. Strong, steel doors were spotted down some corridors, not all. Behind most doors, lab equipment and computers were put. Every other room, closed by gray, metal doors, were used as living quarters. Observational windows, to the outside, were placed on the furthest side of the station. In the center, lied the most important place of this station. It was the lab that contained research and progress that had been made with the other laboratories located back on the planet._

_This made up the A.R.C.H.E. Space Station._

_A revolutionary institution that was designed to overcome scientific challenges. A place made to crack unnatural cases and evaluate the science behind them. The station had been shown to grow every year and present amazing results. The space station was regarded with the highest respect from professionals and the public alike, back home._

_But to Ovi Kintobor, it was his home._

_Ovi had worked hard to accomplish all those things. To get this station where it is now. In the end, he earned the position of lead scientist of the station. He was in charge of the most significant projects aboard the space station._

_He smiled and turned away from the observational window, walking down corridors, memorized from years of being here. He headed towards the center of the station. He placed his hand on the scanner and waited for the door to give him access._

_Humming an old tune, he entered the lab, heading over to his computer, and deft fingers clicked on the keyboard. With impressive speed, from his years of experience, he was able to find the news page that he always checked on for updates. His eyes, covered with reading glasses, glanced at the recent headlines. Then he saw it._

_D.L.R.P. had a new guiding scientist._

_A Rebekah Lynn._

_Ovi frowned and tried to remember where he heard the name before. He was sure he heard it somewhere. Deciding to think, he kept scrolling down to read more. He saw a picture. It was a female, with bright blue eyes, blonde hair, and a smile he had seen on another woman._

_Then it clicked._

_This was the daughter of Maria Lynn. The previous guiding scientist had worked with Keith Peterson. She had been one of the brightest women he had heard about. He had heard about her involvement with the Research Center of Established Biology. She had done great work, but unfortunately, it was cut short by an accident._

_He continued to read the article and saw the published paper that put her in Peterson’s eyesight. He was impressed by the young woman’s work. She truly was just like her mother. He hoped he would get the chance to work with her, remembering that this space station had to have some type of connection, especially with Peterson funding it. After all, Peterson had funded his beginning works, and now, he gained more donors from the Board of Directors._

_“Well, Ms. Lynn, I hope we get to meet one day.”_

* * *

_Date:_

_April 22, XXXX_

_Location:_

_Defense Lab Of The Recovery Of Physiology_

_Time:_

_1300 hrs._

_Area:_

_Sector A-01_

_Subject:_

_DCB-05_

_Supervisor:_

_Dr. Rebekah Lynn and team_

_Entry #19:_

_New testing is applied to all Dark Chaos Borns due to previous safety issues. Therefore, all Dark Chaos Borns will be supervised in their simulations with more precaution. It has been shown that Dark Chaos Borns are being reliant on their genes. However, in this case, Dark Chaos Born-05 has shown a stronger resistance to the destructive gene that has been found in all other Dark Chaos Borns. For this trial, we have decided to set the simulation with a new format. We have known that all Chaos Borns, within their kind, have been successful to communicate and interact in different environments. Now, we search for how this might change when a Dark interacts with a Light Chaos Born. Dark Chaos Born-05 will be tried with Light Chaos Born-17._

_Note: Light Chaos Born-17 will be referred to as LCB-17, and Dark Chaos Born-05 will be referred to as DCB-05._

_Environment:_

  * _Chaos Borns are placed in a normal environment, preferably outdoors. Open field with a nearby forest and water stream. The weather is clear and sunny. No other organisms are present in the simulated environment. LCB-17 is placed near the edge of the forest, and DCB-05 is placed near the stream._



_First Response:_

  * _Both Chaos Borns have perked their ears before opening their eyes. This is a common response in most mobians for figuring out their environment through their senses. Furthermore, these senses are enhanced in Chaos Borns, due to the structure of their DNA._


  * _Interesting discovery comes upon the small purring that emits from DCB-05. Our systems pick the sound up and observe the small change in the direction they face. Previously, DCB-05 faced the southern part of the environment, but the change caused it to move towards the west. The position LCB-17 is placed at. A possibility that their internal sensors recognize the other Chaos Born near them. No changes have been observed by LCB-17, only perked ears._



_Subtle Gestures:_

  * _Purring is often considered a welcoming sign from DCBs. All DCBs share this trait when they are in close contact/radius of someone they are familiarized with or consider safe. Due to this previous discovery, it is believed that DCB-05 finds LCB-17 with a good reaction, and more surprisingly, the Chaos Borns have not even opened their eyes to have actual visuals of each other. Furthermore, DCB-05 is the first one to offer a peaceful meet, not LCB-17, which is rather striking since LCBs usually initiate communication._



_Physical Response:_

  * _The first physical response is the eye contact that both Chaos Borns make. They stare at each other for some moments before DCB-05 slowly sits up and tilts their head to the side. Another common gesture of curiosity and welcoming mannerism. LCB-17 nods for DCB-05 to approach him slowly. DCB-05 walks up to LCB-17 and sniffs the space around the other. LCB-17 narrows their eyesight on DCB-05 actions, but ultimately, they show no aggressive behavior towards one another._



_Mental Response:_

  * _According to the brain activity that is recorded, DCB-05 has shown positive feedback on the interaction with LCB-17. This is something that should be further explored due to the lack of communication between LCBs and DCBs in general. Furthermore, LCB-17 has shown some normal levels of brain activity. However, there is something new that has been discovered in another part of the body. The brain has sent signals to another system that is in charge of pheromones. This is strange due to the fact that this behavior is only exhibited when Chaos Borns are present within their kind (ex: DCB w/ other DCBs, or LCB w/ other LCBs)._



_Comments:_

_DCB-05 is the focus of this trial, but further investigation into this has proven that there are more highlights in both LCB-17 and DCB-05. Just like LCB-17 has proven to be one of a kind among LCBs, DCB-05 has shown similar features as LCB-17, but he is a Dark. This comparison raises more questions on how LCBs and DCBs interact and communicate. More studies will also focus on the strange behavior of LCB-17 since pheromones are something that all mobians release when they are interested in another mobian of the same species, though. If Chaos Borns follow the same process, then LCB-17 could be showing interest in DCB-05. Even though both Chaos Borns are hedgehogs, they are not the same Chaos Borns, which raises the question about fertility among the two types._

  
  


* * *

  
  


_Years after the Chaos War…_

  
  


_The group of echidnas entered the small hut that is found at the top of Angel Island. They assembled around the large rock that is in the middle of the hut. One of the echidnas, with the longest dreadlocks, and multi-colored feathers decorated his neck, moved about the hut, dragging along, fur mantle. He wore a pensive look as he circled the stone while the other echidnas continued to look at him, some worried, others unwavering._

_“What do we do now?”_

_The pacing echidna stopped and turned to the other that spoke._

_“Mephiles would do anything to get his hands on Chaos’ mind.”_

_Nods and voices of agreement echoed the echidna’s thought. Another echidna spoke up._

_“What do we do, then? We have to stop this malevolent creature from attacking Chaos.”_

_The robed echidna approached the others and placed his hands on the smooth stone. He took several moments in thought, finding a way to keep the water beast and his tribe safe. A way to keep Mephiles away from them._

_“The Master Emerald.”_

_Just like they had agreed before, now they put up their refusals on using the green gem. The echidna looked around and sighed as he heard the arguments of using the Master Emerald._

_“As the leader of this tribe, I have the right to use any means to protect my tribe and Chaos. It is the only way we might be able to keep that sinister force out of our homelands.”_

_“Surely, we can find another way! Using the Master Emerald is too dangerous…”_

_The leader, now known, shook his head and silenced the other with a hand._

_“All our time, we have shown our respects to Chaos for protecting us and giving us a fruitful home to live in. We cannot turn our backs on this innocent creature, and we will not start doing it now. We have to figure out a way to seal that awful creature somewhere.”_

_Every echidna, in the hut, brought their focus to finding that way, silently agreeing to use the Master Emerald. After all, Chaos had long protected the tribe through everything, even if the echidnas knew nothing of said creature. Chaos took care of them and provided for them by giving life around them. Plants, water, air, everything. How he did so will forever remain a question to the echidna tribe. But in the end, they knew the creature had to be gifted for it to provide such things. Like a god. And so, they respected Chaos as such, even if the creature did not always interact with them._

_“What about the scripture of the lost Scepter of Darkness?”_

_The leader faced the questioning echidna._

_“The tool that seals away all demons…however, the keyword here is lost. The Scepter of Darkness has long been lost in history. The location of this tool is unknown, and time is of the essence.”_

_Before retrieving back to his thoughts, the leader was interrupted once more by another echidna. A young female. Soft-spoken. But still intelligent._

_“Then we make one.”_

_The leader gave her a baffling look._

_“How would we even start—”_

_The female echidna pushed further._

_“We use the Master Emerald as a guide. We can speak with Chaos. The scriptures. Anything to help us.”_

_Whispers and conversations sprouted among the group of echidnas. Meanwhile, the leader thought about it before shaking his head, again._

_“Child, that still will not guar—”_

_“Leader, did you not speak of trying anything to protect our home? Our tribe? Our god, Chaos?”_

_Silence._

_The female stared into the eyes of the leader until one finally spoke up._

_“Very well, we’ll find those scriptures, and Tikal, head over to the altar to find Chaos.”_

_The young female echidna, Tikal, nodded, and stepped around the other echidnas to leave the hut. Her feet led her to the top of an altar, where the Master Emerald was placed in the middle, and a blue creature nestled itself at a corner. The young echidna approached the creature slowly so as to not startle it._

_Being a few feet away from it, Tikal spoke up._

_“My friend, my god, I have come here to speak with you.”_

_The water translucent creature shifted to face the echidna. Its green eyes looked into cobalt ones. Recognizing the echidna in front of it, Chaos happily hummed at seeing the kind girl. She had visited the creature multiple times, even though the older ones of her tribe told her not to. They said to not disturb Chaos or it will lash out at her for stepping into its home. However, the young female couldn’t see a single spark of anger in this creature. No, instead, she saw a beautiful and kind one. Slightly shy and easily scared, but with enough visits and talking, on her part though, Tikal came to see Chaos as a friend, not just a god._

_“I have come to warn you of something grave. Another being has managed to find its way onto our home, and it looks for you.”_

_Tikal saw the creature shift around, its watery trail following behind him. She expanded on this discovery._

_“He claims he knows you, and you know him. Does...Mephiles sound familiar to you?”_

_Chaos retreated to another corner of the altar, hiding behind the Master Emerald. The young echidna had never seen the friendly, mute creature shrink in such fear. It appeared, though, that Chaos did know of him. Moving around the giant, green stone, she slowly moved towards the scared one. Tikal knelt before Chaos and offered her hands, palms faced up. Slowly, the watery being placed its own translucent hands on hers and looked into her cobalt eyes._

_In the end, Chaos trusted her, and she trusted him. It didn’t matter that Chaos was her god because both kind creatures knew their bond was more of a close friendship. Built on trust and respect._

_Tikal and Chaos. Chaos and Tikal. One a follower. The other a god. Both dear friends._

_In any world or time, they would always be friends._

* * *

  
  
  


_Dark green eyes spotted their new target. With gifted feet, he sped his way across the room, and he tossed the target across the floor._

_Caerulus was tired of these weak humans that attempted to stop him from finding what he wanted. But he couldn’t deny that all this felt relieving in a sense. He had been prodded, poked, drugged, and who knows what else, too many times to count. He did know one thing, though. Caerulus hated it all. He was tired of it. He was sick of it. So, to his defense, he had every right to inflict pain on these terrible beings, called humans._

**_Follow your instincts, Dark._ **

_Remembering the voice, the one that spoke to him from deep within his mind, seeded the idea in his brain to look for his mate. His Betzalel. And nothing was going to stop him. Not this time. Not even Ovi Kintobor._

**_Find your mate, Dark. He’s waiting for you._ **

_Just like a pet to a master, he did as the voice inside him said. He wanted to find his mate. The only one that truly understood him._

**_Find your Light._ **

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> Now that we're getting more context on the past of these characters, more details will be focusing on Rebekah's struggle with working with Peterson and trying to help her new friends.
> 
> Just a little more before Ovi Kintobor meets Sonny and Betzalel, otherwise known as DCB-05 and LCB-17, respectively. Of course, we also get to find out more information of A.R.C.H.E.
> 
> Furthermore, we find out what happens when Gadget finally wakes up. He better be prepared to face an angry bat...
> 
> Now, we know what sent Sonny into his dark form, but could he possibly be the one behind the catastrophic event that wiped out a whole race of Chaos Borns and humans. Moreover, Chaos and Mephiles do know each other, but could that be the reason why Mephiles visited Sonic's and Shadow's timeline. To find Chaos?


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that we're getting more context on the past of these characters, more details will be focusing on Rebekah's struggle with working with Peterson and trying to help her new friends.
> 
> Just a little more before Ovi Kintobor meets Sonny and Betzalel, otherwise known as DCB-05 and LCB-17, respectively. Of course, we also get to find out more information about A.R.C.H.E.
> 
> Furthermore, we find out what happens when Gadget finally wakes up. He better be prepared to face an angry bat...
> 
> Now, we know what sent Sonny into his dark form, but could he possibly be the one behind the catastrophic event that wiped out a whole race of Chaos Borns and humans. Moreover, Chaos and Mephiles do know each other, but could that be the reason why Mephiles visited Sonic's and Shadow's timeline. To find Chaos?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been off the grid for some time, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I really am. Updating this fic became difficult for me. I had recently hit a point in the story where I didn't know if I should continue it. I know that sounds fucked up, but I just really didn't have the inspiration to keep writing it. Fortunately, I found it again, after spending some time to just be me. Self-care is important, y'all. I know that now, too. Anyway, I just hoped you all still have time to keep reading this. But just so you know, I spent days off this story, and in that time, I think my writing could have gotten rusty (in my opinion, I think it's lacking, no matter how much I read it over, it lacks many things). 
> 
> I hope this update makes someone happy out there. Thank you to all of you that supported this fic and me. You are wonderful people, and I think that's the main reason why I decided to continue it! Thank you, again :)

_ Caerulus finally reached the secured laboratories section of the research center. Well, it no longer was secured. He made sure of that. _

_ There was only so much force humans could have used against him. After all, they still needed to worry about the others on the outside. He wasn't the only Chaos Born these people had hurt. _

_ His ears focused on his surroundings, listening for any possible target. His feet were quick, so if anything or anyone did decide to sneak up on him, well...he would deal with them the same way he dealt with the others. _

_ Dark, green eyes spotted a door on his left. He felt his mate near. Caerulus promised he would check every corner and surface of this planet to find Betzalel. So, he forced his way through the thickened metal door. _

_ It was dark inside, the only lightning that flooded inside the room was from the red flashing of the outer hallway. The flashing had begun when Caerulus stepped foot onto the research center's grounds. That's when soldiers, he assumed, attacked him, but they failed. His continued hunting was proof of that. _

_ He sniffed the sterile air, disgusting as always. However, Caerulus was used to it by now. Moving a little further into the lab, his sharp vision caught sight of a figure in a stasis pod. He approached the pod slowly, observing it with cautious eyes before they widened. Inside was another hedgehog. His precious Betzalel! _

_ Caerulus found him! _

_ Smiling, he quickly closed the distance between himself and the capsule. Caerulus rested his peach hands on the glass, taking a closer look at his mate. Except… _

_ It wasn't exactly his mate. _

_ This hedgehog had the same upturned quills, striped even, but not with its familiar red. They were faded green. Almost grey. However, the biggest color difference between this hedgehog and his mate was the black fur. Betzalel wore a silvery, golden shine to his fur pelt. This hedgehog wore a black one. But to Caerulus, the most off-putting thing about this hedgehog was his mouth. Or the lack of it. He didn't see any form of an opening that could indicate this creature had a mouth.  _

_ Was this a sort of copy of Betzalel?  _

_ Caerulus frowned. Such a fake, he thought. It turned out that the scientists were able to regenerate them, physically, at least. This wasn't his mate.  _

_ He sighed and moved towards the exit. He needed to continue looking. He stopped at the door and shot the capsule another glance. _

_ He would come back and destroy it. These humans didn't deserve to know their abilities or play with them. No one should play around with a god's power. Taking note of the location, Caerulus exited the room and continued down the hallway.  _

_ Just as he left, green, serpent eyes opened, glowing in the darkness of the room, revealing the awakening of the hedgehog.  _

  
  


* * *

His mind felt like it exploded and all those bits and chunks were further crushed. Every piece turned to dust. In other words, a painful headache. 

He didn't want to open his eyes, but instead, bury himself deeper in the soft material that was covering his aching body. What the hell happened to him?

Red ears slowly focused on his surroundings, figuring out where he was. After all, the last thing he remembered was hearing his friend’s words about finding chaos emeralds. He would try to remember but his head wasn't having it.

He heard a door open and close. Soft clicking of heels could be heard coming near. A soft hum followed soon. Then, a female voice spoke up.

“I know you’re awake.”

Gadget didn’t move, for all he knew, she was talking to someone else in the room. Was there even anyone else in the room?

“You can pretend all you want, but eventually, you’re going to have to face me, wolf.”

Damn.

She was talking to him. But what was worse was he  _ did _ do something to upset this person. Who was she again? 

He tried to remember, already feeling the horrible pain, but he could see a familiar bat in his mind. An agent. She worked for G.U.N., but more importantly, she was Shadow’s best friend. Basically a sister to the broody hedgehog. He knew that there was no escaping her, even if he didn’t recall what exactly he did to her. 

Did he hurt her?! Oh, fuck! If he did, he knew he would never see another day if Shadow found out…

Gadget’s thoughts were interrupted by the hand that shook him. She was trying to ‘wake’ him up, he thought. The red wolf sighed and tried to sit up. Everything was hurting so  _ bad _ . What exactly happened?

Rolling his shoulders with a groan, he finally opened his orange eyes to see teal ones on him. The bat was giving him a cold stare and an unfriendly smile. He definitely did something big enough to upset the female agent. He wondered if he could bribe her…

“Finally. Come on, let’s go.”

She turned on her heel and headed towards the door. He looked around to see two other individuals in the room. They appeared to still be sleeping. One of them was a fox, and the other was a bee. They were familiar to him, but he didn’t really want to think about it, especially with his horrible headache.

“Hey…”

The wolf looked over to the bat that stood in the doorway, gesturing for him to follow her. He nodded and softly made his way in her direction. Stepping out into the hallway, momentarily blinded by the bright lights, he saw the bat close the door behind them with a soft click. Gadget saw her turn around to face him with a stern look. She crossed her arms across her chest and looked him up and down. Sensing the strange tension in the air, he awkwardly shifted under her gaze. Hard teal eyes finally looked at him again, and a sigh finally left her lips.

“It seems the fall wasn’t that problematic. Just left you some small bruises here and there. You might be feeling the after-effects of the energy. What’s your name?”

He fell? What effects?

“Uh, it-t’s G-gadget.”

“Gadget. Well, I need you to follow me. We'll be asking you some questions before you're  _ mine _ ."

He swallowed and slowly nodded. The bat shot him another mean look before facing forward. He was officially terrified of this woman.

They walked down the hallway and made a few turns before they ended up in front of a different door. He didn’t exactly know the female agent, but he was less terrified of confronting her rather than facing whoever was behind that door.

The female bat knocked twice before a small hiss was released as the door slid open. He saw the agent step aside, waiting for him to walk in first. Taking a deep breath, Gadget prepared himself for what he was about to face.

“I brought the kid.”

Jumping at the female’s voice behind him, he saw the agent walk over to the other two people in the room. A pink hedgehog and a red echidna. Both of them looked over in his direction, the echidna narrowing his eyes. 

Oh, hell…what did he do that made him be hated by everyone so far…

“Oh, Gadget! How are you? Do you feel okay?”

The pink hedgehog jumped from her seat and walked over to him. She grabbed his hands and offered him a sincere look of worry. She was the only person who had greeted him as such, he thought. He shifted his gaze between hers and the others, feeling unsure about all this.

“U-uh, y-yeah. I’m ok-kay.”

The pink hedgehog looked him over as he stuttered out his answer. He wondered if the worried hedgehog knew of his fall, but then again, he, himself, didn’t remember any…

“Come over and sit down. We need to ask you some questions.”

He walked over to the echidna that spoke to him, having a seat on the chair. He rubbed his hands, and he tried to remain still. But everything just seemed off. Something wasn’t right.

The red echidna cleared his throat and started to question him.

“Do you know what today is?”

He tried to remember, but he couldn’t catch a specific date just….

“Uh, n-not exact-tly…I r-rememb-ber s-somethi-ing about-t a m-mission…” 

The echidna nodded and continued.

"What is the goal of this mission?"

He frowned, trying to remember. Something about freeing someone…or was it something…

"T-trying to f-free som-meone…" 

Another nod.

"Do you remember how you got here?"

Gadget recalled some conversation about helping a friend. The dark hedgehog. 

"Uh, I-I was t-trying to h-help my friend-d…"

The echidna frowned, but before he voiced any concerns, the pink hedgehog beat him to it.

"You remember helping Tails?"

Gadget was confused. What was the pink female talking about? His puzzling expression seemed to cause the bat to take her turn in asking.

"Does the name, Miles, ring any bells?"

For some reason, he knew that. The wolf nodded at hearing the question. His mind conjured up the image of the fox kid he saw in the room before he left. 

"Mil-les P-prower-r, right?"

The echidna nodded, but the pink hedgehog gave him a weird look. He ignored it and listened to the next question. 

"Anyone else you remember?"

He pointed a finger towards the bat. It was also clear the bat knew him by the dirty look she was giving him. He shuddered.

"That's it?"

Orange eyes flickered back to amethyst ones. 

"No, I r-rememb-ber all of y-you…b-but not y-your names-s…" 

The echidna sighed and nodded, hearing his answer.

"Alright, well it looks like you did lose memory of something…so now, what do you remember about the energy gas?"

Gadget was confused again. He didn't remember encountering any gas. His mind remembered talking to Shadow, something about emeralds. Weren't they all in on helping the blue hero?

"I d-don't know w-what you're t-talking about-t."

The echidna rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. The bat walked over to him and nudged him out of his seat. She took his place and stared at him with a hard look. He wished the red echidna continued to question him.

"Okay, kid, look we need to know everything you recall from our fight with Chaos. You were one of the few that was affected by whatever came from that gas. So, tell us what you felt when you were hit."

He swallowed and tried to remember what the bat was describing. However, he was having a hard time. He was sure he didn't see a gas. No, he remembered last about the emeralds that Shadow told him to look for.

"I-I swear I d-don't rememb-ber any g-gas."

A frustrated sigh was heard from the echidna that stood next to the bat. He pointed a finger in his direction with a deep frown on his face.

"Don't lie to us! We know you have to remember because Amy recalls what happened to her. So, start talking!"

Gadget flinched at the loud voice. He was starting to shake. His eyes looked into teal ones, searching for some understanding from the agent. She had to believe him!

"I p-promise I d-don't know an-nything! Pleas-se, agent-t R-rouge, you g-got to b-believe me!"

Teal eyes narrowed. 

"Oh please! You really think we're gonna believe that!"

The echidna walked over to him and practically stared him down, making him shrink in his seat. Gadget didn't know what to do. This was all confusing and uncomfortable. He tried to look around the red male in front of him, trying to catch the bat's attention again.

"Pleas-se, he s-said I c-could trus-st you!"

Teal eyes widened before blinking again. He felt a hand on his shoulder. The echidna was trying to scare him into speaking up, but what could he know?! He didn't know what they wanted from him!

The echidna bent down to look him straight in the eye.

"Who said that? Huh, who told you this? Who are yo—"

"Knuckles, stop!"

The wolf flinched at the loud shout. The echidna before him slowly retreated from his personal space, only to glance over to Gadget's savior. The female bat was standing from her seat, approaching the echidna. She removed the male's hand from his shoulder. She stood between them as a sort of barrier.

"The kid clearly knows nothing which leads us to the idea that the energy gas does have different side effects. Trust me, I know a liar when I see one…"

The bat turned to face him, giving him a weird look.

"...and this kid isn't one."

The echidna scoffed and shook his head.

"Rouge, come on. This guy has to remember...Amy remembered!"

The bat sighed and rubbed at her temple.

"Hon, this kid doesn't remember, okay? Yes, Amy does, but that doesn't mean they both have to. After all, you should know that their problems were two completely  _ different _ scenarios. Also, more reason to take you back to find those scriptures on this thing."

The wolf saw the two that seemed to be having a staring contest. Not a good one. Amethyst eyes looked in his direction again and then back to the bat.

"Fine, but he still needs to answer one more question."

The female agent nodded and stepped aside for the last question. The echidna nodded and asked. 

"Who said you could trust Rouge?"

Gadget knew it was a simple question. He could have answered with the truth. He could have answered that a black hedgehog had told him this. He could have answered that he was in contact with this hedgehog. But something was telling him these weren't the answers. Well, at least, the ones he wasn't supposed to tell yet. Glancing at the bat, she stood firm and upright. Arms crossed over her chest. However, his eyes saw the shifting fingers, almost hidden, that seemed to be telling him something. Focusing back on teal eyes, he wondered if she knew what he was thinking. Then again, she was an agent. 

He had no choice. 

"It-t was…M-miles…"

The echidna opened his mouth to say something else, but another voice spoke up.

“Knuckles, Gadget’s saying the truth. Tails had practically trusted him, too, when we headed back to his workshop for some things. Leave him alone…”

The pink hedgehog walked over to the bat, standing next to her. She sighed and gestured in his direction.

“Rouge, go ahead. You can take him to the medical bay. I’ll be there in a few minutes…I need to talk with Knuckles about something.”

The bat nodded and stepped over in his direction.

“Let’s go, kid.”

He nodded and quickly got to his feet, making his way over to the door. The bat followed beside him and waved at the other two in the room. They exited the room, and Gadget followed the bat down to what he assumed to be the medical bay. Looking down at his body, Gadget thought he could use some painkillers. His brain was literally killing him!

“So, care to tell me how you know Shadow?”

Gadget flickered his gaze back to the agent that was walking ahead of him. He gulped and stuttered out his answer.

“Well-l, I thought-t he tol-ld you I-I was-s working w-with him t-to f-find S-sonic—”

Coming to an abrupt stop, he bumped into the agent that stood still in front of him. He quickly retreated several steps back and began to form his apology.

“I’m s-so sor-ry! I did-d—”

“You  _ work _ with Shadow?”

“U-uh yeah…”

Without warning, the bat yanked him down deeper into the hallway, somewhere less lit and less noticeable. Somewhere an agent would talk to someone under quiet and secret terms…

“Okay. Let me get this straight. You are working with  _ Shadow _ ?”

He nodded, fidgeting with his fingers. The bat looked appalled by his answer, gaping at the idea that he was working with her best friend. She quickly shook her head, snapping back her attention to him.

“How the  _ fuck _ is that even possible?!”

“He w-wanted someo-one on the o-outside t-to hel-p him…”

The agent let out a frustrated sigh as she heard him. He saw her stomp her foot and throw her hands into the air. Clearly, she was upset. More upset than before.

“Shit! Of course, he would do this! Fucking made his own plan…”

He didn’t know what to do. He thought Shadow had explained this part of the plan unless…

Shadow didn’t want anyone to know of his plan. In that case, he just realized his problem. He told the bat about it… 

So, in other words, he fucked up big time.

"How are you two communicating?"

He didn't know if he should be answering any more of her questions. But then again, he already said too much. The bat was already upset, so maybe he should just let her in on the rest of the plan. The only problem with that was he would be facing someone scarier than the bat. He would be facing an angry hedgehog that would willingly destroy him if he knew what he just did.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?!"

Quickly blinking and shifting his focus back to the present, Gadget heard the angry agent complaining about his lack of answers.

"I can't-t tel-l—”

“Oh, don’t come to me with that now! Tell me everything you know.  _ Now. _ ”

“Sh-shadow’s g-going t-to k-kill me…”

The bat sighed and grabbed both his shoulders, looking straight into his eyes. He tensed up at her actions.

“No, he won’t. I’ll make sure of that. Besides, with me knowing what you two have been up to, I can help you...which will help Shadow indirectly. Do you understand?”

Huh. That was actually a good idea…

“S-so, Shad-dow d-doesn’t have t-to know…that y-you know…”

The bat smiled.

“Bingo. Now, tell me  _ everything _ .”

Without another small hesitant look, he took a deep breath in and finally faced the agent with the truth.

“Shadow has been planning this whole mission from the beginning, even before the Doctor’s base was attacked. He—”

“You don’t have a stuttering problem.”

Gadget flushed at hearing the bat’s words. He technically did have a stuttering problem, but like always, Shadow helped him with that. Facing the dark hedgehog multiple times before had boosted up his confidence when he talked with others. However, as a part of his cover-up, Gadget was to take on the ‘problem’ to play an accurate and innocent character.

“Well, when you have to play double agent, you kind of have to take on different characteristics to remain on good terms with the people you have to get information out of. I thought you knew this, agent Rouge.”

She raised an eyebrow at his remark but smirked.

“Not bad, kid. It looks like Shadow did teach you a few things…”

Gadget nodded, remembering the times the dark hedgehog gave him tips to take on this role. After all, everything had to go according to plan. Every small detail.

“Were you the anonymous tipper G.U.N. received information from?”

“Yes. Shadow had sent me in to investigate the place. I saw some of the Doctor’s robots around, carrying different mechanical parts, which meant that he was somewhere near or at least planning something. So, I told Shadow. He had said something about having an idea of what was happening.”

“So, why call it in with G.U.N.?”

“Shadow had said he was on a leash with the organization, so if he infiltrated the place without direct orders…”

“...he would be facing an angry Commander and restricted access to the Doctor’s doings.”

He nodded as the bat figured it out. She sighed and gestured for him to continue.

“I called it in, and a unit, including Shadow, was to be sent out to look into the Doctor’s activity. From there, I had other orders from Shadow about his partner, Omega.”

“You had to do with his disappearance?!”

“He’s in a secret location, prepared to take out his orders when the time comes.”

“What orders?! How did you even take out the big guy…he’s…”

“Don’t worry. He’s fine, and as for taking him out, we didn’t. Someone else did.”

“Who?”

The wolf bit his lip, knowing this was going to be hard to explain.

“Well, that’s the problem. We couldn’t figure out who. By the time Shadow caught sight of Omega, the robot had been taken out and was rebooting.”

“Rebooting?”

“His internal system was messed with, but I was able to shut him down before anything happened. You have to understand that Shadow didn’t want Omega to be caught in this mess as well…”

“Shadow was just protecting him from G.U.N.’s hands as well then…”

“Yes.”

The bat slowly nodded and chuckled.

“That hedgehog is always protecting us…”

“Agent Rouge, may I ask you a question?”

She nodded.

“Did you believe that he actually went rogue?”

The bat leaned against the wall, tapping a finger to her lips in thought.

“Shadow has a strange way of showing he cares about us, but it wouldn’t be surprising given his past. I figured him out as I worked along with him during the first meetings we had…but deep down, I always have known that Shadow is a changed person. For the better, of course. So, really, I never and would never doubt his actions.”

Although the agent was looking across the hallway, Gadget knew she was thinking about the dark hedgehog. He felt her words. Clearly, it was true that these two held a strong connection, a familial one. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Shadow being mothered by the female bat. But it was true, the dark hedgehog was someone that carried out any plan or action to protect those he cares about. After all, actions speak louder than words, in Shadow’s case.

“Well, kid, let’s get you to that med bay before Rose gets there and questions our whereabouts. By the way, what’s the deal with Shadow and you?”

The wolf gave her a confused look.

“How do you know Shadow?”

“Oh! Uh, well, it’s complicated. We met each other because of something stupid I said…”

The bat smirked.

“Hm, that isn’t new, you know. Shadow befriending someone that said something stupid is a common occurrence. I mean have you seen the thing he has for our blue hero?”

He chuckled and nodded at the last comment. Gadget wasn’t blind to Shadow’s interest in the Hero of Mobius. Now that would be extremely stupid. It turned out hedgehogs weren’t good at being subtle.

“Oh, I know, trust me.”

They shared a few more giggles about their dark friend until the agent said something that made him realize why he dreaded her.

“I promised to protect you from Shadow, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to kill you…”

He gulped as her face turned into one of anger, again. She pointed a finger to his chest and prepared to face her wrath.

“You ruined my perfect pair of gloves!”

And just like that, his fear vanished.

“Oh geez…look I don’t remember doing that, but I promise I’ll replace them.”

“You better, kid, or I’ll carry out my own promises of revenge for my precious gloves.”

He figured she was kidding him, but this was Rouge. He could expect the unexpected with the female agent. So with a small huff, he nodded and promised her once more about replacing whatever gloves he ruined. Happy with his affirmation, they returned to the main hall and headed to the med bay, before a certain pink hedgehog got there first.

* * *

“We need all the information, Commander. We must plot out a timeline as to how these events occurred.”

The Commander sighed and took his seat at his desk. Blaze and Silver followed behind him, standing on the opposite side of the desk. The pyrokinesis princess had contacted Rouge with important information only to find out that they needed to solve this before they headed back. Sadly, that also meant being away from Amy longer than she wanted.

“As I said before, you need clearance for that, and as far as I know, you are not my agents.”

Blaze had never seen the man as an enemy, per se, but she did disagree with his actions more times than she could count. The Commander was sometimes impossible to ally with, especially if he held little respect for others. However, this would not stop the feline princess from getting her hands on that information.

“Commander, may I remind you that Team Dark consists of people that connect the interests of Sonic’s friends and you and your people.”

The older man scoffed at her statement.

“One which decided to join opposing forces, another that has completely disappeared off our radar, and agent Rouge was given an assignment, but she decided to join your little group. I don’t see why I should give my information to any of you.”

She rolled her eyes, becoming frustrated with the man’s unreasonable thoughts, and faced her silver friend, who also seemed to be tired of hearing the man talk. At this point, they would take longer convincing the man to give them access to the classified information rather than the actual plan. 

“Look, we are not asking you to give us everything, but to oversee your gathered intelligence. Clearly, you do not trust us, so why not send someone to watch over us as we check your information. This way, we’ll be under supervision, just like you would like, and we get access to those smaller details.”

The man narrowed his gaze on her, most likely thinking about her idea. He most likely wants to know if there are any loopholes, she thought. She had to give him that though. The Commander often was a smart man and thought out everything thoroughly. Unfortunately, that was what was stopping them from continuing with their own plans. 

“I already told you everything you need to know for your own devices…”

He wasn’t giving in.

Scooting to the side, the Commander clicked on the small communicator device on his desk. A beep was heard from the machine before a voice came through.

“Sir?”

The Commander glanced at them, before looking down at his papers on his desk, and answered without looking up.

“Bring in agent Topaz. I need her to inform some people about our recent discoverings.”

“Yes. sir.”

The feline princess stood there with widened eyes as she heard the Commander request his new demand. It appeared that she stood corrected. Schooling back her features to a neutral look, she quietly gave her gratitude.

“Thank you, Commander.”

The man didn’t respond, but she knew he heard her. He continued to look at his information, writing something down. A few seconds later, he voiced out another thought.

“Maybe you’ll see something we didn’t.”

Before Silver or her could respond, a woman walked in, covered in a navy blue suit and bearing the infamous insignia of G.U.N. placed on her right shoulder. She had short, blonde hair and violet eyes. She stopped in front of the Commander’s desk, standing straight and firm, only casting Blaze and Silver a quick glance before resting them on the man.

The Commander looked up and nodded at the agent. He gestured in the princess and hedgehog’s direction.

“Agent Topaz, please update them on the details we have found from the Doctor’s base. Let them overlook any files that are being used for this mission, under your supervision. If you find anything new, inform me immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

The woman turned to face them and gestured for them to follow her. Silver, upon closer distance to the female, introduced himself, but Blaze remained where she stood for a few more seconds. She gave the Commander one last glance before joining the others at the door. 

* * *

_ Everything felt different when she learned about Chaos Borns. Nothing was ever the same. Rebekah couldn’t look at something the same way without thinking of those creatures. How do they see their world, she questioned. What survival instincts are built into their genetic code? How do they view their world? How do they view them, humans? _

_ However, there was one question that rang in her mind all the time, after learning of Chaos Borns. Are there dominant types among the Chaos Born population? _

_ This question wormed its way into her head. Rebekah couldn’t find herself thinking of anything else but this. She found herself thinking about when she was alone or working on some papers from the lab. Unfortunately, this resulted in late nights and lots of coffee. She still had a job. But that question housed itself in her head, next to the other numerous questions that sprouted here and there about Chaos Borns. But this one stuck its roots deep within her curious mind, tempting her to go back to Professor Pickle to ask him, but she didn’t have enough time as she took on a bigger role when Mr. Peterson asked her to join his project. _

_ But to her surprise, luck was on her side as she finally answered her question one day at work. Rebekah had been testing different subjects, who had presented the right blood samples to that of a Chaos Born when she saw it. No, when she saw him.  _

_ Test subject: Light Chaos Born-17. _

_ He was a hedgehog, donning a shiny pelt with red stripes on his quills, which to her amazement, were upturned as if defying the laws of gravity. One long stripe went down each side of the arm and leg, and sharp clawed-fingers on each hand. But to her, the most interesting thing about this hedgehog was his eyes, a blazing, fiery red. Just looking into them made her feel the intensity behind them.  _

_ Rebekah knew he was just another Chaos Born, a Light one at that, but deep down, she knew he was something else. This hedgehog wasn’t normal already, being a Chaos Born, but something in him said that even he wasn’t a normal Chaos Born, which still remained unknown. And it wasn’t until she tested him that Rebekah saw the real potential of this hedgehog. Stronger than any of the other Chaos Borns, in mental and physical terms. He proved to be an outlier among the Chaos Borns which were already outliers in the mobian population.  _

_ So, Rebekah’s mind reached out to pluck another seed and plant it into her mind, rooting itself securely.  _

_ Who was he? _

_ Unlike before, Rebekah approached the hedgehog after the testing had finished, writing down notes for the research. She observed him closely as several wires and clips were taken off his body by her team members. He didn’t flinch or question them about their studies which was uncommon as any volunteer would constantly ask them questions when they prepared them for trials. But damn it, this guy was just there. Waiting for her team to finish, she stood near the hedgehog and observed him. _

_ He cast her a quick glance before staring straight ahead. Up close, Rebekah saw that his skin was that of a dark tan, complimenting his shiny, golden fur. Next to that, her blue eyes caught small hues of gold speckled into his eyes, making them even brighter. Such a beautiful creature, she thought. Rebekah frowned as her mind went back to her conversation with Professor Pickle. She had thought that these creatures were not worth risking their research over, even disregarding the comment of them being gods of some sort, but now… _

_ She knew she was mistaken. This hedgehog proved her wrong. Rebekah couldn’t deny that this creature was anything but divine. Truly like a god. _

_ “Does my appearance upset you, Dr. Lynn? If so, I am deeply sorry _ .”

_ Interrupting her thoughts, the hedgehog looked at her with saddened eyes, something that broke her heart. Quickly realizing she had been looking at him with what she assumed was an upsetting face, Rebekah shook her head and talked to the hedgehog for the first time since he saw him. _

_ “Oh, no! Of course not, if anything, your appearance is…breathtaking. I seem to take a great liking to your eyes out of everything…” _

_ The hedgehog seemed shocked to hear her say that and noting a small blush appeared on his tan muzzle. How adorable, she thought.  _

_ “O-oh, thank you, Dr. Lynn…” _

_ “You don’t have to call me Dr. Lynn, especially since I haven’t gotten my doctorate yet so…but you can call me Rebekah!” _

_ The hedgehog gave her a small smile. Giving her own smile in return, she couldn’t help but think that his smile was gentle and softened his face, definitely contrasting the intensity of his red eyes.  _

_ “Alright, step down, and you’ll be guided back to your room.” _

_ A female had stepped in front of the hedgehog, giving him instructions as he was no longer connected to the devices. The golden hedgehog nodded and stepped down the threshold of the seat, glancing at another assistant that would lead him back to his temporary home. Rebekah didn’t know why but something told her this didn’t make him happy. Sure, he didn’t express discomfort, but she was smart. With that, one attained good observing skills over time, and she was sure that this hedgehog didn’t like this place. Why would he volunteer then? _

_ She wished she could do something, but it wasn’t her place to say it, especially since he was a test subject. There were specific rules when it came to interacting with a test subject. Blue eyes followed the barefooted hedgehog as he made his way across the room, with a man following behind to make sure he returned to his place. What would her mother do? _

_ Biting her lip, she took her chances and followed behind the duo, stepping in their way. She talked to the assistant before she decided to back down on her courage as to what she was about to do. _

_ “Uh, can I take him from here to his room? I kind of want to observe him in an unsimulated environment.”  _

_ The male assistant gave her a hesitant look before glancing at the hedgehog and back to her.  _

_ “I don’t know...I have specific instructions to return him to his room.” _

_ “Please, I’ll make sure he makes it back. I promise.” _

_ Looking around the room, surprised that no one was questioning her actions, the male assistant sighed and nodded. She thanked him and smiled. Rebekah waited for him to return to his own business, and then she turned to face the hedgehog. He looked at her with the same shock from when she complimented his appearance. He must not receive a lot of them, she thought. _

_ “Come on, let’s go.” _

_ She waved for him to join her on their small journey to his quarters. Walking down, Rebekah peered at the golden Chaos Born. She did a lot of admiring rather than observing, but in reality, she didn’t want to watch the hedgehog in an unsimulated environment. She had enough time to be a scientist later, right now, she wanted to just be someone the hedgehog could talk to. At least, her mother would do that if she had seen this beautiful creature so sad. _

_ “So, what’s your favorite color?” _

_ The hedgehog was surprised to hear her ask him something so random if him almost tripping was anything to go by. Rebekah giggled at his small stumble but waited for the hedgehog to answer her. _

_ “U-uh, is that part of the observation?” _

_ “No, not really, but if I’m being honest, there’s no observation.” _

_ The hedgehog looked at her with a confused look. _

_ “No observation? Then, if I may ask, what purpose does this help you with?” _

_ Did he really think he was just a test subject here?  _

_ “I don’t know, but I think you could use a…friend, you know.” _

_ “A friend?” _

_ She let out another small giggle at his expression. He had to know what she was talking about, right? _

_ “Yeah! Someone that listens to you and to share thoughts with…someone that answers questions you have or gives you a piece of their snack because they think you’re cool…” _

_ “I no longer have a friend…” _

_ It was a small whisper, but she still heard him. She heard the ache and longing in that voice. Something Rebekah was all too familiar with. It was the sound of losing someone close to you and facing a world without them in it. She had a hard time accepting her mother’s death. But she still pushed forward, continuing her studies and making accomplishments, and Rebekah was able to see good days again. Of course, she had the help of her grandfather, a kind and caring man, but she also had a friend that guided her through college. Professor Pickle was her friend. They got her through it. For this reason, she could not fathom how hard it must be for the hedgehog to live day by day without the person he lost. _

_ “I’m sorry…I know the feeling, though, of losing someone dear to you. I had lost my mother a few years back. She was a wonderful mother and bright scientist…” _

_ She sighed at the memory of her mother. She had always looked up to her, holding high goals to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Taking a shaky breath, she glanced back at her walking companion, noticing that he remained silent. Had she come as too forward? Maybe, she shouldn’t have started with death, mentally slapping at herself for bringing up such a personal topic. Of course, he wouldn’t want to talk about it to some random stranger _ —

_ “I lost my sister.” _

_ The hedgehog interrupted her internal argument. She stopped in her tracks once she realized what he said. The hedgehog continued to walk down the hall, not noticing her lack of walking. She shook her head and caught up with the hedgehog. He told her something personal. She smiled at her breakthrough. _

_ “What was your sister’s name?” _

_ Rebekah saw him swallow. He must have a hard time talking about her… _

_ “Maria.” _

_ She gasped at hearing his sister’s name. Her mother’s name. They had the same name! The hedgehog noticed her shock state, and he quickly stopped his walking to approach her with cautious steps. _

_ “Are you alright _ —”

_ “That was my mother’s name…” _

_ Red eyes looked at her blue ones, worry turning into fondness, and he gave her another one of his smiles. She guessed they shared more things in common than she originally thought. They both lost dear people, dear Maria’s… _

_ “Can I ask for your name?” _

_ With little hesitance, the hedgehog answered her. _

_ “My name is Betzalel.” _

_ Betzalel. What a beautiful name for a beautiful creature. She softly spoke the name, carrying each syllable with endearment. _

_ “Betzalel…a beautiful name, you know.” _

_ The hedgehog chuckled at her compliment followed by another small blush. Before she knew what she was doing, Rebekah crouched down and hugged the chuckling hedgehog. His reaction was immediate as she felt him tense up. She quickly released him and began apologizing. _

_ “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me…it’s just you looked happy and…” _

_ Rebekah looked down and clasped her hands, squeezing them together to prevent them from shaking. She always had shaky hands when she did something embarrassing or dumb. She felt like she lost control of the situation, and now everything else would come apart. Her losing control could also potentially hurt someone else, and that was something she couldn’t let it happ _ —

_ Two soft hands reached for hers, and her blue eyes slowly looked up to see red ones staring back at her. She swallowed the dry air that clogged her throat, another sign of her shame for doing reckless things. However, the hedgehog wasn’t looking at her with anger or disgust, but instead, he was giving her a bright smile. He squeezed her hands. _

_ “Thank you for sharing this with me...friend.”  _

_ She stared at him with wide eyes, not believing what she was hearing. He called her a friend! Her sudden shakiness vanished and was replaced with happiness. She grinned and released the tension from her shoulders. He called her a friend. _

_ “Thank you for listening…Betz.” _

_ “Betz?” _

_ She happily nodded and explained. _

_ “When you make a new friend, you can give them a nickname, something that only they can share. I gave you Betz which is short for Betzalel…if that’s okay with you, of course!” _

_ Before another wave of shakiness and shame washed over her, the hedgehog smiled and nodded his confirmation. Then he placed a finger to his lips, looking up in thought. _

_ “Well, would it be okay for me to call you something, too?” _

_ “Of course, do you have something in mind?” _

_ “Bekah…no…what about Bek?” _

_ Remembering Professor Pickle’s take on it, she smiled at hearing the name again. She had missed it. She had missed the feeling of this excitement. It had been so long since she last opened to someone that she didn’t know. _

_ “Betz and Bek, I like the sound of that!” _

_ Without worrying about being caught in the middle of the empty hall, they laughed together, enjoying the newfound happiness in each other. Rebekah knew she once held no respect for Chaos Borns, but Betzalel changed her greatly on the idea of them. Maybe they are gods, she thought. But it didn’t matter because, in the end, Betzalel and her were friends now.  _

_ Betz and Bek.  _

* * *

“Spagonia is the target, everybody. That blue rat said the chaos emeralds are there, but unfortunately, I didn’t gather details on its security.”

The Doctor walked around the room, where everybody was gathered. He had obtained the Master Emerald, but he wanted to collect all the emeralds before anything happened. Because anything was bound to happen if he waited too long to collect them. Chasing after the emeralds and fighting that blue hedgehog had taught him that.

“So, we have no idea what we could be facing out there?”

The Doctor nodded in response to Zavok’s question. He had made the mistake of not forcing those details out of the blue hero, but he knew it wouldn’t be a problem, especially with the forces he has at his disposal. He rounded the table once more before taking his seat, clasping his hands together on the table. 

“However, with enough power, we shouldn’t worry about that, after all, you are all capable of defeating anything. What we need to focus is on how we are going to distribute you all around Spagonia.”

Divide and conquer, he thought, was the best choice in this part of the plan. 

“Since there’s only four of you, I divided the city into four parts. Each of you gets to decide which part to attack, except for this one.”

He pointed at an area of the city, deeming it his own area to attack. He had made other plans for that.

“Why?”

Looking into the eyes of the jackal, the Doctor smiled and gestured to the dark hedgehog.

“Well, that’s because Shadow and I will be there, looking for the emeralds. My robots had picked up a trail earlier when I sent them in to check to make sure the blue hedgehog was saying the truth.”

“If you have a trail, why do you need me, Doctor?”

The Doctor switched his gaze onto Shadow.

“Unfortunately, they were not able to give me an exact location, but I know that you are capable of doing that for me.”

“I appreciate the confidence you have in me Doctor, but even I cannot pinpoint the exact location of a chaos emerald.”

The mad scientist knew that already, but this wasn’t the case.

“Ah, but you see, you’ll be detecting the signature of all seven emeralds, which will be easier due to the large amount of energy it is giving off.”

He saw the dark hedgehog’s eyes widened at his idea, and he happily chuckled at knowing that he was finally going to have everything to execute his final plan. Clapping could be heard on the other side of the table, his eyes saw the jackal stand up and bow.

“Nothing stops you from achieving your grand scheme, Doctor. When will we depart for the city?”

Internally rolling his eyes at the mercenary’s compliment, knowing better than nothing that he was trying to get on his good side, again, the Doctor leaned back in his chair. He looked at each one of them.

“After you, all choose your locations, of course. I want to get those emeralds as soon as I can before any pests decide to get in my way.”

Everyone nodded, and a discussion about who got what followed. The Doctor watched as his remaining three partners conversed about the targets, snippets of attack plans being shared, and comments about looting or not. Then his eye caught the dark hedgehog that remained quiet, staring at an empty seat at the table. Unfortunately, Chaos’ job was finished, but to his dismay, the creature was not brought back with the Chaos Drive. He deemed it strange, but he didn’t really care what happened to that creature. The Doctor had other things to worry about like finally obtaining those emeralds. Tired of waiting, not a real patient person in general, he stood up and addressed the whole group.

“Alright, that’s enough time, hopefully, you all chose as you wanted. Now, report to the transporter in five minutes, we’ll be leaving soon.”

Murmurs of agreement were echoed in the room, and they retreated to the boarding port on the far side of the ship. Shadow was the last one to leave the room, giving the Doctor one final look and nod. He stared at the doorway for a few more seconds before he sighed, finally releasing all the stress in his body. He would rather not have those fools look at him in this state. They would judge him. He knew they would.

The Doctor got to his feet. He found his way to the viewing window that displayed the darkness of space, only lit by sprinkled stars. A faint reflection of himself was seen on the window, and if he was standing in the right spot given the lighting, he could see a better outline of his face. Blue eyes were focused on the reflection, but his mind slipped back into unsafe territory.

Memories of his past. 

His  _ other _ past.

Ovi Kintobor’s past.

These memories came back to him when his newest ally had come to him back in Mystic Jungle. To be honest, the Doctor wasn’t expecting such a change of events, but in the end, Mephiles delivered. 

~~~

_ Mephiles. _

_ That was what he called himself. The form he took was similar to the Ultimate Lifeform’s, except for the lack of a mouth and different colorations to his quills and eyes. He had explained this to Mephiles but received strange responses in return. Ivo thought the creepy hedgehog was fooling with him, but Mephiles’ voice would turn cold after bringing these things up. So, then he believed them to be ciphers. Messages that needed to be decoded for the real answer behind them. Throbbing headaches became a regular after he tried figuring one out. _

_ Strange, really. _

_ The evil scientist had managed to solve unrelenting mathematical equations and the most difficult chemical scenarios. Yet, there he was, getting a damn headache before even finishing the cipher. It had appeared the dark creature had noticed and offered him an answer to that. A simple one this time. _

_ ‘They are not headaches, Doctor. Your mind is just telling you to remember something in specific.’ _

_ A simple answer that led to more questions, of course, though. _

_ Frustrated outbursts erupted from him and finally took his last toll on the creature. He demanded Mephiles to stop this nonsense and speak to him with clarity. Sure, with the power the creature carried, the Doctor was either going to be murdered or answered. It was the latter. _

_ Ivo hesitated when Mephiles offered him a solution to the pain. Returning his memories, the creature said, was the only way to be rid of the headaches and show him what he was capable of. Could anyone really blame him for denying the creature? It was insane! What did he have to hide?! He knew who he was and what he did. There were no empty gaps in his memory. None. _

_ He stood corrected. _

_ Mephiles promised him a simple procedure to obtain his locked memories. A simple trick of the wrist. And so, after letting the fearful hedgehog play with his mind, which he thought was dumb on his part, he learned the truth. _

_ The atrocious truth. _

_ Images of working aboard a space station. Leading a group of scientists. Meeting a familiar, blue-eyed woman. Observing different experiments. Creating serums. Smiling with an all too familiar golden hedgehog. Hugging a dark blue— _

_ He gasped at what he was seeing. Before he spoke about all this nonsense, more images flashed across his mind. _

_ Yelling at a man. Watching the dark hedgehog cry out. Running down white corridors. Crying at seeing the blue-eyed woman’s bloodied body. More running. Releasing a translucent creature from a stasis pod. More running. Being pushed away by peach hands and dark green eyes. Yelling followed. He was being cornered. Approached by that hedgehog. Blood covered the navy of his fur. Then fast movements ran by, another hedgehog attacking the blue one. It was Mephiles. He yelled something to someone standing at the doorway. Then… _

_ White. _

_ A flood of whiteness washed over him whole. _

_ Ivo fell to his knees, shaking with horror and pain at what he just saw. The truth of his life. Everything he once believed was a lie! _

_ He started to shake his head, grasping empty air, howling out all the pain inside him. He didn’t want to believe it. It was all a lie. That wasn’t him, and that definitely could not be his enemy. Ivo Robotnik fought against that blue hedgehog for years. Years! _

_ But…what he just witnessed said otherwise. _

_ He knew Sonic before they started fighting each other. If what he saw was true, then they were…friends. Not enemies. Not allies. They were once friends. Almost family. But it seemed that one moment destroyed them all. Through the swarming thoughts he was being overtaken with, one stood out the most. _

_ Sonic tried to kill him. _

_ The Hero of Mobius a killer, how insane would that be if not for the bloodied figure that stayed in his mind. To be remembered forever.  _

_ He wasn’t the enemy. It was Sonic.  _

_ And through it all, Mephiles was the one that saved him from that blue hedgehog.  _

_ He had been living a lie this entire time, and right now, the only person that helped him was Mephiles. _

_ ~~~ _

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The Doctor focused back on the present and looked down at his beeping communicato r. He pressed the button and heard a robotic voice come through.

“Doctor, we are all present for departure.”

Clearing his throat, he answered Metal, taking notice that he had spent a little over five minutes thinking about  _ that _ .

“Good. I’m heading there right now.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

With that, the line ended and the man was left with his thoughts once again. Ivo had experienced many changes after he had learned about his other life. It was unbelievable really. To think that he was once a good man  _ and _ actually helped those he cared about. Heck, having someone to care for itself was something he would never see himself do. Yet, there he was, protecting those people.

In particular, it was that woman he held in his arms that brought great pain to him, the why still ticking him off. He frowned now that he thought about it more. Was the blue hedgehog to blame for that?

The Doctor clenched his fists, anger filling his every bone, at finding out that he became he who was now because of that stupid hedgehog! Sonic made him who he was! It was him all along! It was because of Sonic that Ivo forgot to love and care. That blue pest took away people he cared about…

Ivo hated the feelings his mind conjured up as he thought more about the memories. Deciding to ignore it, he composed himself and walked towards the door. He shot the window one last look, blue eyes catching sight of the brightest star in the corner. Deep down, he knew everything he had worked for before still made him who he was. It was a part of him whether he liked it or not.

Ovi Kintobor was once him.

Once was the keyword there, he thought. With a newfound determination inside him, the Doctor took his leave for the boarding port, leaving behind all his thoughts.

Ivo Robotnik was who he was now.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> A surprise start!
> 
> More details on Blaze's and Silver's mission and a new agent makes her debut! Hard decisions are made by Rouge as she learns more about this whole catastrophe. The Doctor and Shadow visit a familiar place when they land in Spagonia City.
> 
> More interactions between Ovi Kintobor and Rebekah Lynn! Plus, a little something about Keith Peterson.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise start!
> 
> More details on Blaze's and Silver's mission and a new agent makes her debut! Hard decisions are made by Rouge as she learns more about this whole catastrophe. The Doctor and Shadow visit a familiar place when they land in Spagonia City.
> 
> More interactions between Ovi Kintobor and Rebekah Lynn! Plus, a little something about Keith Peterson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's a different start to this because there's sex involved, so yeah...
> 
> Anywho, I just want to say that there are many great works out there, but I think I fell hard for Wildfire86's writing, especially the Moment Series. So, I wanted to take inspiration from their beautiful work, As Long As Stars Are Above You, which you all should check out! I highly recommend reading all the parts, but definitely check out that one.
> 
> Now, back to the fic, I am still trying to update the website and Tumblr, but I ending up doing something else. Actually, now that I think about it, I did add some details onto the website (I'm stupid as you can see). There's now a Discord for this fic because why not. I just wanted to make a server for the fic because I wanted you all to have a space to share your theories/thoughts/ideas on what's happening in the story so far. Also, I want to interact with you all more often, and I find myself on Discord more times than I can count. More details on the server are posted when you join!
> 
> Discord Link: https://discord.gg/c8c7kG2efs  
> Chaos Borns History Website: https://samth1700.wixsite.com/chaosborns

_ Giggling came from the navy blue hedgehog as he dragged his partner down the quiet and dark corridor. It was after hours aboard the A.R.C.H.E. and that usually meant that there was no one awake at that hour. Well, except for the few guards that kept watch overnight on the entrance ports of the space station. But even then, Caerulus still had the audacity to bring his new partner into the more isolated parts of the station. What was better was that they had access to a beautiful view. _

_ “At this rate, I’m surprised we haven’t been discovered, especially with your loud giggling…” _

_ Dark green eyes turned to look at blazing red ones. Betzalel was the best thing that has happened to him. This golden being showed him kindness and respect, even if they were different. After all, he was a Dark Chaos Born, something that automatically categorized him as a potential threat to others. Betzalel saw him differently, though. The golden hedgehog was shy and quiet around him the first times when they met, but soon after, Caerulus was able to push him out of his shell. Well, he also had to thank Dr. K and Bek. Both humans were the only ones that Betzalel and he came to trust, embracing them as their family. But unlike with Dr. K and Bek, Caerulus saw something different in Betzalel.  _

_ Their friendship was stronger than anything else. He would sneak books into Betzalel’s private quarters, which Dr. K gifted them soon after their arrival, and pride flooded his body as he saw the beautiful smile on the other’s face. Betzalel would present him with small snacks that he somehow managed to get from Bek, who was still back on their home planet. He would always thank the hedgehog with a hug which was another thing that he learned was something the Light Chaos Born reserved for important people. More pride filled him at that thought. But soon, their small gifts turned to teasing, especially when they trained together. _

_ Physical training was vital to their growth and development. They exercised five times a week, doing different sets each day. They both loved it since they were able to put their strength and flexibility to the test. However, Caerulus enjoyed that time mostly because he was able to use his feet at their maximum power. Due to the safety guidelines of the space station, Beztalel and he were limited to options when it came to testing their speed. In the end, Caerulus was still happy to spend that time with his favorite Chaos Born.  _

_ The physical contact increased throughout their sessions, and so did their teasing, bordering on the edge of full-on flirting. Sure, they were friends, but Caerulus felt something more for Betz. He cared for him, like with Dr. K and Bek, but he liked him more than just family. _

_ Bek told him it was love. He laughed at her theory, finding it to be a ridiculous idea. A few days later, Dr. K told him it was also love. Coming from him, the closest thing he had to a father, was different, more serious. So, he found himself looking at Betz in that sort of lighting every time they interacted. All the signs were there. Heck, he basically courted the golden hedgehog when he gave him all sorts of gifts. Yet, Betz also gifted him some, so… _

_ Caerulus had confessed to the Light Chaos Born, and boy, that was something he thought he would never have the courage to do. His dreams came true when Betz reciprocated his feelings, making Caerulus love him even more. So, after their confession, they explored this uncharted territory together but following their same routine. _

_ Until now. _

_ Caerulus decided to take Betz on a new adventure that night. According to Dr. K, the space station was crossing a path, in its orbit, that had a full field of stars. He knew how much Betz enjoyed stargazing, so he took his chances with security and brought him to see the star show. _

_ “We’re here and stop acting like you don’t like the sound of me giggling…” _

_ He smirked as he saw Betz blush at his comment. He opened the door and led them both inside. The strangest thing about this room was how it was built. Walking in, the room looked normal as any other. But that’s if you were new to the station, and Caerulus wasn’t new to this place. So, he pulled his partner further down, across the room, and there it was. The secret opening that no one catches if they don’t explore it closely enough. The opening was on the side, so it blended with the wall, making it seem like there was nothing there.  _

_ He moved into the small corridor that led to his final destination. He looked back at Betz to make sure he followed him. Now, they entered another room, no other entrance but the one they used. To Caerulus, the best thing about this room was how it differed in the structure. Instead of the flat windows that decorated the other parts of the station, this one had one large window that covered the majority of the wall. Of course, it didn’t stop there. The window was angled to have it stretched out upwards onto the ceiling. Basically, large skylights. _

_ Betzalel gasped at seeing the majestic beauty that was seen through the windows. A dark background gave away the bright lights that were stars, endless across the vast amount of space. The view was so beautiful, Caerulus agreed, but nothing compared to the beauty of Betzalel’s happiness. The Light Chaos Born approached the glass, placing both palms on it, and gazing at each star his red eyes caught sight of. _

_ “Do you like it?” _

_ Betzalel turned towards him, smiling. _

_ “Of course, I do. How did you know about this place?” _

_ Caerulus grinned. _

_ “Dr. K might have whispered something about a special observational room, with no cameras and all that.” _

_ Red eyes turned to the corners of the room, and so it was. No form of recording or privacy was being breached. He returned his gaze towards Caerulus and slowly approached him. Caerulus found himself embraced by his mate. Betzalel’s warmth, like no other, was pressed flush against his own skin. He savored the feeling and took in the other’s smell, a natural flowery scent. He found it funny how such a powerful creature like Betz had such a sensible smell, but he loved it all the same. _

_ “I love you, my Caerulus.” _

_ His heart became a stuttering mess, and his mind became foggy with emotions. He would cherish this moment dearly forever, and just to make sure the other did to… _

_ Brushing his hand through striped quills, he shifted the other’s head from his shoulder to have him face him. Their noses touched and breaths hitched in both their throats. Deep greens were lost in bright reds, swimming in each other’s presence, and grasping each other with more force than before. _

_ Peach lips locked onto dark tan ones. Sweet, he thought. Betzalel tasted sweet. He cupped the golden hedgehog’s muzzle, enjoying the feeling of the other’s lips on his. Being the gentleman he usually was, Betz was always gentle with him, but now, it was different. Golden arms circled his neck, the Chaos Born was being pushed closer to the bright body, realizing that Betz was also like a star.  _

_ A bright and beautiful star. _

_ And he would be his dark sky.  _

_ Finding this side of Betz interesting, Caerulus decided to push further. He snuck a hand onto his mate’s waist, happy to know the other was still distracted by their kissing to not notice. Then he gave it a firm squeeze, eliciting a small gasp from his counterpart. He took his chance, and his tongue entered the hot, moist cavern he loved. They had these intimate moments before, but they never passed a certain line. Maybe tonight would be different. _

_ He felt the other’s pink muscle slither its way around his own, dancing a sensual act. Caerulus shifted the hand in striped quills to maneuver Betz’s head to a different angle. And oh fuck! He was able to deepen the kiss and pull out small moans from his mate. With that alone, he could get drunk, reach a blissful state. _

_ They separated to take deep breaths each. However, their eyes still met. Caerulus spent days, weeks, following Betzalel around the space station, to learn of every small detail that made up his mate. From the curves of his silky quills to the red stripes that followed down golden legs.  _

_ "I love you, Betzalel." _

_ Just as those words left his mouth, dark lips attacked his peach ones once more. This time it was him moaning out his partner's name. Everything felt…too good to be true, but here he was, holding his greatest treasure. _

_ Their kissing had hypothesized their movements as they made contact with cold glass. The golden body shivered at the coldness, but it didn't stop him from bruising Caerulus's lips. Peach hands again found purchase on the small waist of the other, rubbing small circles. A sigh was released from soft lips, as the navy hedgehog moved his own down to latch onto the Light's neck. He licked, nipped, and sucked all that expanse of soft skin. A hunger inside of him wanted to bite down on the neck. Caerulus wanted to show everyone that Betzalel was only his. He was the only one to bring him down to such a panting and moaning mess. Or better yet, teach Betz what it meant to be his mate. _

_ Without a second thought, he brought his lips lower, teasing the other's collarbone, down his chest, resting on the lower belly. Peach hands followed right behind his lips, as he lowered himself onto his knees. Dark green eyes saw red eyes open and close in pleasure. He gripped lean thighs while he felt a pair of hands grab his blue quills.  _

_ "Oh, Caerulus…" _

_ Soft moans erupted from the standing hedgehog. Caerulus smirked at hearing his mate become more vocal, quite an unusual thing for the quiet one. Moving further down, he found what he was looking for, ready to show the other a good time. Peach lips sucked on the small pouch that hid away his prize, but soon enough, it was unsheathed. And oh, what a beautiful sight! Betz was leaning on the observational window, a panting, blushing mess, with blazing red peeking through lidded eyes, hands buried in his dark quills, and his full length on display for him. All for Caerulus to only see. _

_ “You look so beautiful, Betz. You know that, right?” _

_ His dark ears heard a scoff from above.  _

_ “You just enjoy the sight of me coming und—” _

_ Caerulus licked down the other’s length, a trail of saliva being evidence.  _

_ “F-fuck!” _

_ The Dark Chaos Born grinned at hearing the obscene word come from pretty lips. One thing was to make his mate moan and wither under his hands, but it was another to make him say such…dirty words. Especially, if the hedgehog he was currently worshipping was usually quiet and composed. A defeat in Caerulus’s mind.  _

_ Light hips thrusted up and fingers dug deeper in his quills, Caerulus saw what Betz was trying to do. He chuckled at the desperation that the Light Chaos Born had to continue this little adventure of theirs. To be honest, the Dark Chaos Born never saw this coming since his mate and him refrained from doing these sorts of things on the station. Finding privacy was quite difficult on a large space station, but now, they were completely alone, away from anyone’s eyes and ears. _

_ He licked the tip of the hardening length, a light tan color, with red stripes coming down the sides. With one try, Caerulus took all he could of Betz’s length, starting slow.  _

_ “D-do you really ha-ave to go sl-low…” _

_ Sure, Caerulus always handled everything with speed, but right now it was different. He wanted to soak in all the small hisses and whimpers his male partner had to give. Not to mention that deep inside, something was alluring about making his mate suffer in this eternity of pleasure, never reaching the height of it. Maybe it had to do with his instincts as a Dark Chaos Born, or maybe he was a sadist. Either way, he was going to prove the fun about this to his mate. _

_ To Betz’s surprise, the navy hedgehog changed his movements. The silvery cock was taken whole into his mouth. All the way down to the hilt. And he hummed. _

_ “Fuck y-yes!” _

_ He changed between going slow and taking the length whole, his ears enjoying the sinful song he was hearing from above. It was like an angel was gracing him with its inner beauty. But he was no angel. _

_ No, he was the exact opposite.  _

_ A hungry demon ready to fuck his mate senseless. _

_ He let go of the delicious cock with a pop. Dark green eyes caught the leaking precum from the tip, and he couldn’t help but give it one last squeeze before he got to his feet. Caerulus looked at his mate, who seemed to be breathing hard, and kissed him, missing the other’s lips already.  _

_ “My shining star…” _

_ Betz purred at hearing Caerulus’s endearing name for him. Everything felt right. But he was still hungry for more. One last look into red eyes and the Light’s body was turned around to face the observational window. He guided the other’s hands onto the glass, pressing them to the cold surface. He went straight for the neck, sucking on it like a vampire to his prey. Light hips wiggled against his front. With Betz’s moans and tasting his length, Caerulus wasn’t surprised to see that his own cock was already unsheathed from its pouch. He was easily aroused when it came to seeing Betz in such an improper state. It fed his Dark’s hunger, knowing how corrupted he could make his mate become with just his touch. _

_ “Come on, Caerulus…please…” _

_ He smirked and moved his peach lips onto a flickering ear. _

_ “Please, what?” _

_ And just to make his point, he rocked his hips upwards, getting a gasp as a response. He felt his mate’s body tremble at the sensation of the hotness between them. _

_ “Fuck me…hard.” _

_ With those words being his signal, Caerulus plunged his cock inside the tight pucker of the other, hissing at the new sensation. This was finally happening. He let Betz get a feel of him inside before he saw a nod for him to continue. The tight entrance was already so wet and felt so good… _

_ The best thing about Light Chaos Borns, they pretty much self-lubricated. He remembered reading about it when Betz and he learned of mating bonds, with the help of their human friends. It was a serious subject that they both needed to address if they wanted to form a relationship. Chaos Borns mated with others, usually their own kind, Light with Light or Dark with Dark. But just like always, Betzalel and him never followed the normalities. Together they explored what it meant to be mates, learning to respect one another, regardless of power, and care for each other under any circumstances. _

_ However, there was one particular part in their reading sessions that made them stop and think. Mating bonds were officially formed when they claimed one another. In other words, when they decided to have sexual intercourse. According to the information given to them by Bek, Chaos Borns connected their chaos energy signatures during this intercourse, knotting them for life. This was why they had to take this mating bond seriously. They needed to be sure if they really wanted this in order to bond. _

_ “Ah! Faster p-please!” _

_ Betz’s cry of pleasure brought him back and did as his mate wanted. His thrusts came faster, harder. The observational window was being fogged up by the Light Chaos Born’s breaths, his mate’s cock pressing up against it and then he remembered how revealing this was. Caerulus was literally fucking Betz against a large window, for anyone to see, but ironically, no one could really because they were up in space. The only witnesses to their lovemaking were the stars that remained their only source of light. _

_ A new idea came to him. He grabbed one of the golden legs, hoisting back up onto his waist. This gave him a new angle to piston his length inside the velvety walls of the other and make him scream. Jackpot. He had found the other’s prostate.  _

_ “Caerulus!” _

_ He growled at hearing his mate scream his name. In the back of his mind, he was actually happy that the walls were thick enough to muffle their screams and moans, but he was sure that either way, they were far away from any ears to hear them.  _

_ “Only mine. My mate.” _

_ Betz threw his head back, landing on his shoulder, and a string of whimpers came out as he reminded him who he belonged to. Possessive behavior was uncommon in Caerulus, but he really couldn’t blame his inner Dark’s instincts to want this too. It was only natural. _

_ Dark green eyes saw heavy-lidded, red eyes peek at him. He swore they were a deeper red than before, almost flashing, especially in the dark room. Pink tongue was sticking out of dark lips, pants came from that pretty mouth, and fuck, did Betz just winked at him?! Another low growl erupted from within his throat, pushing his cock deeper if that was even possible.  _

_ “Ah! That’s i-it…” _

_ Such a greedy hedgehog, he thought. Betz wanted him to be rougher with him because he was a masochist, deep down. They were perfect for each other. No other was able to give them this fulfilling feeling at the end. No other mobian, no other Chaos Born, only each other. It didn’t matter that Betz was a Light Chaos Born and him a Dark one because, in the end, their love for each other was the only important thing. _

_ His pace became erratic as his body was reaching its peak, and Betz was not far behind. Caerulus reached for a fistful of crimson striped quills and angled his mate’s head for him to reach his mouth. Hot, moist sounds echoed along the walls, and the sounds just amplified their need to reach that climax. In between kisses and moans, the Light Chaos Born whispered one more thing before Caerulus tipped over the edge. _

_ “Breed me, mate.” _

_ One final hard thrust later and his seed spilled inside the soft, tight walls of the other. He felt Betz follow right behind him, his cum dripping down the floor, and he was sure it had to do with him coming inside the other’s ass. They reached their climax together, feeling each others’ breathing and sweat that accumulated during their lovemaking. Caerulus released the golden leg and helped Betz find his footing again. Both calmed down and their hands tried to comfort one another, their bodies were sure to be sore tomorrow morning. They remained a few more seconds standing there, in front of the luminous stars, Caerulus still inside Betz. _

_ And then it happened. _

_ At first, it felt like a click. Something finally falling into place. Like a puzzle being solved by fitting in the last piece into its place. As the moon and sun had finally joined, blessing those below with its eclipse. Like the world had finally turned enough to grant its living beings with the breathtaking view of the stars. Like Caerulus and Betz had finally connected.  _

_ Bonded. _

_ He felt the body in front of his shift to have that lovely face in full view, again. A gorgeous smile was seen on dark lips, red eyes twinkling, and a faint glow, courtesy of the stars, brightened the crowning striped quills. Truly a heavenly sight. All for him. His heart wanted to explode from everything he was feeling right now. He opened his mouth to express all these thoughts in words, but he just stood there gaping with Betz in his arms.  _

_ It turned out he didn’t need to though. _

_ The Light Chaos Born kissed him softly, hugging him tightly, and all Caerulus could do was return it with the same amount of love and more. A few seconds later, they separated, still smiling at each other. Green eyes saw something glow between their chests, and red eyes widened. _

_ “Betz, you’re ch-chest is glowing…” _

_ Right where the golden hedgehog’s heart would be, a faint green glow was placed there. A peach hand reached to touch it. _

_ “You too…” _

_ His gaze flickered down to his own, and right there, just like Betz, a faint glow also appeared. Except, his was red. It didn’t hurt, though. So, it must not be harmful or dangerous, but what was it then? _

_ “It’s our bond…” _

_ Dark blue ears heard his partner’s soft voice. _

_ “Bond?” _

_ Two hands reached for his muzzle and made him look into those passionate red orbs he loved. His mate was smiling at him, the biggest one yet. _

_ “Remember! This…” _

_ One hand gestured between their chests. _

_ “...is a sign of our official bond to each other. As mates.” _

_ His mind went back to their readings, and sure enough, he remembered how a bond was sealed between two Chaos Borns. His eyes widened and gasped at the realization of these events. _

_ “We’re bond mates….we’re bond mates, Betz!” _

_ “I know, you idiot, I just told you that…” _

_ Laughter now echoed throughout the room, brightening up the room more than all the stars can light up the dark sky. After finding something to clean the semen off the floor, they shared their excitement, deciding to sit down and gaze at the stars outside. They pointed out patterns and constellations to one another as they always had done.  _

_ The golden hedgehog snuggled close to his navy, blue body, and he kissed the other’s forehead. They had spent so much time together, unsure of each others’ feelings, but now, they had claimed each other as mates, officially. They might not be back home, with their kind, but here, they had each other. That was what mattered, and for now, they had many more years to spend together.  _

_ Betzalel was his shining star, and he, Caerulus, was his dark sky.  _

_ Their home was where each other was. _

* * *

“These files say that Doctor Eggman had been doing unusual activity, but there were no signs that it could have been with…time-traveling…”

The princess could hear the doubt in the agent’s voice. Who could blame her? Agent Topaz must have not spent enough time around Rouge or the others to believe this. She heard Silver explain it to the female agent.

“Oh, we know! We figured it out when Rouge told us about some weird thing that had only existed hundreds of years ago.”

The agent’s confused look only deepened. Maybe Silver wasn’t the best to explain things, she thought. She cleared her throat and caught the agent’s attention.

“It appeared that our team on Angel Island had come into contact with something dangerous…and according to the guardian, this item had been used in the past just like Silver said.”

She refrained from talking about the Chaos Drive, but she gave enough of an explanation that allowed the agent to understand the situation.

“So, you think that thing came from the Doctor?”

Blaze nodded and turned back to the data that was provided by the woman. Everything on it reported all the details that had come up from the brief investigation that had been done on the base at Mystic Jungle. Golden eyes skimmed all the various charts, reporting the strange energy readings, and images of what remained of the lab after the explosion. 

For once, the mad scientist tried to erase his tracks, which he had never done before. Why though? Her eyes narrowed on the last image, the remains of where Eggman’s experimenting was done. What was the man hiding?

“Is there anything else that you collected from the base?”

“No, everything you see is what we have.”

Nothing in front of her was connecting any dots to a god that Rouge had mentioned. There was not even any clue of anyone that could have the ability to time travel. The Commander was right…

“Wait! Actually, there is something we keep on a digital file…let’s see…”

The feline turned around to see the woman work her way through a computer, fingers clicking on the keyboard. Blaze knew she shouldn’t get her hopes high because sometimes it was harder to accept the disappointing truth. She knew after years and years of waiting in that apocalyptic future. It wasn’t until they met Sonic and his friends that Silver and she managed to have hope again, fighting for their future.

“Hey, Blaze, check this out!”

Hearing Silver’s voice, she focused back on the duo that was at the computer. She walked over and something that definitely was not in the pile of papers was pointed out to her. It was an image of the same base but at a different angle. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

It was a hedgehog. 

The image was blurry, but she could still make out an outline of the familiar form. However, upon closer look, it seemed like it was…

“Is that  _ Shadow _ ?”

Blaze thought it was the upturned quills that gave it away, but no, that was not Shadow, not if you knew him well.

“Look closely. Those quills are not red.”

Agent Topaz did a double check on the image, realizing that the figure looked similar to her fellow agent. She gasped at the new finding that Silver had pointed out. Maybe they still could hope, Blaze thought.

“Can you scan it or something?”

Silver looked over to the shocked female.

“U-uh, yeah…maybe we can get an ID on the figure…if it can read it anyway…”

More clacking of the keyboard echoed in the room, Blaze looked back at the image, her golden eyes burning a hole into the image, metaphorically. A few seconds later and a beep was heard from the computer. The picture was scanned and loaded any possible matches to the mobian in the image.

She was a princess, taught to be patient and calm, but right now, she wasn’t either. She was nervous and impatient. Blaze had come home, expecting to relax with her girlfriend, but she ended up fighting for answers like the others. Not her idea of relaxation.

The screen finalized the results and gave them something.

_ Identification: N/A _

So much for hope.

“We’re wasting our time here. We need to head to the lab’s location…”

Blaze addressed the sad hedgehog and turned around to head out.

“Wait, there’s something.”

Her sharp ears flickered at the sound of Topaz’s voice. She glanced back at the woman, who now turned to face her as well.

“There’s no ID on the figure because they’re from the past…”

Silver gasped and pointed his finger at the female agent.

“So there would be no record of them! You’re right!”

She cocked an eyebrow, questioning this conclusion.

“So, we still do not have an answer.”

Topaz grinned at her and shook her head.

“Because we’re looking at the present, we need to check the past, and according to this…”

Silver returned to his spot, next to the agent, but she remained where she stood. Blaze wanted to see where they were heading with this.

“Ah! There’s a match! A file from…the Ancient Echidna Tribe?”

What?

“What does that have to do with our person?”

The feline walked over to them, again, and saw the file that was displayed on the screen. Except, this wasn’t a file. It was a scripture. 

“It appears that the Ancient Echidna Tribe had encountered this person long ago. Something about a being with  _ dreadful _ powers…and being  _ contained _ ? What the hell is this?!”

Topaz’s voice was heard in the background, finding this hard to believe, but Blaze was still focused on the scripture, continuing to read the words.

“...’he will rise as the evil one and take back what he lost…Mephiles will purge this planet in the years to come to take it back…’ wait…wait… where’s the rest?”

There wasn’t more text. The scripture was incomplete. They finally had a clue, and now they learned it was incomplete. 

“Who’s Mephiles?”

Silver’s question took her out of her thoughts. She released a frustrated sigh at their dead end. Damn it! This still wasn’t enough information for them to time—

Ancient Echidna Tribe.

If she could obtain an exact date of when that tribe existed, then they could still follow the clue! They still had a chance to figure this out. Blaze really needed this to be possible because if not, then she didn’t want to fathom what would happen to them all.

“I need to contact Rouge and tell her about this.”

Violet eyes and dark golden eyes stared at her. Silver nodded, and Topaz composed herself, offering her own nod. They approached the door together and exited.

“You two go ahead. I need to inform the Commander about this, too.”

Blaze nodded and turned towards the direction from where she remembered the Communication room was. Silver stepped in to join her side, following her, before they heard one last thing from the female agent.

“Thank you for your help!”

The female waved at them and took off into the opposite corridor. The feline princess liked her. She wasn’t bad, Blaze thought. After all, the agent did help them find a new lead. Not all humans were like the Doctor.

“Let’s go, Silver.”

* * *

Boom!

Another explosion was heard a few miles from where Shadow currently stood. They had arrived in Spagonia some minutes ago, and everyone followed their chosen location to destroy. Another beautiful place lost to the hands of the Doctor. Destruction always seemed to follow the man. 

Crimson eyes focused back on what he was doing. The Doctor was following behind him, in the carrier as always, waiting for him to continue the hunt on the chaos emeralds. He had thought about misleading the man, but unfortunately, that didn’t seem like an option. Robotnik’s robots managed to close in on the location of the emeralds pretty well. The small portion that they were looking through was ultimately not helping him do as he wanted. Not to mention that the Doctor was smart enough to bring backup. Two robots followed their trail from above, using their own scanners to locate the emeralds. Sure, Shadow could dispose of them in some way, there’s always a way, but that wouldn’t stop the man. Why? Because there was also a backup for the backup plan. If things came down to it, Infinite was told to use the Phantom Ruby to locate other energy sources in the city.

In the end, nothing worked since he would have to reveal himself to the Doctor and his partners. Now that was something he couldn’t let happen. It was still too soon for that. Sonic was still locked under the ruby’s power.

“Are we any closer to those emeralds?”

He glanced back at the Doctor. According to his senses, a large amount of chaos energy was coming from up ahead, in the direction of Spagonia University. He gave a nod to satisfy the other’s question.

“Good.”

His eyes focused back to the front, seeing the streets empty of people and buildings with broken windows. Cars were scattered across their path. Smoke rose from some distance afar, most likely from the others’ doings. This used to be a bustling and lively city. Now, it was the opposite.

To Shadow, this hunting seemed to go on forever, but in reality, it wasn’t. They had reached the university’s grounds in a matter of minutes. He had forgotten how things passed by quicker for him, reaching fast speeds. The campus was absolutely empty. No one, at least, was seen on the outside. He was glad that everyone evacuated as soon as they could have. It meant that no lives would be tangled up in this mess.

His legs carried him further inside the university’s layout, finding himself in the center of it all. His dark ears heard the humming of the carrier follow behind. Shadow felt the energy the greatest there, but he was still unsure of the exact location. He tried to concentrate and focus on the chaos energy near. The amount was still scattering his mind, unable to focus on a specific position, but then he felt a spike. It came from the north of the campus.

“North.”

With that, Shadow sped in that direction before he lost the trail. Maybe if he got there quick enough, he could manage to snatch them and chaos control to a different location. His feet stopped in front of a building. In large letters, on the corner, it said ‘Arts and History’. The spike was becoming more clear, so he entered the building, a glance back told him the Doctor was still trying to catch up.

Walking down the hallways of the building, moving through the maze of doors, one question echoed in his mind.

Why were the emeralds located here, in a university?

He knew not all were located here, though. Shadow had given his chaos emerald to Gadget, who had put it somewhere for safekeeping. Somewhere that even Shadow didn’t know of. He thought it was better that way, so he wouldn’t be tempted to go look for it. But, sadly, he put the wolf at great risk. If anyone figured them out, then…

Another spike. 

This one was closer. He moved towards it, turning one last corner, and then it stopped. 

Huh?

Shadow tried to connect with the energy again but nothing. He lost the trail, completely. It was as if they just disappeared. He heard footsteps behind him, and the Doctor stood there, frowning at him.

“Shadow, you were supposed to guide, not leave me behind…”

Crimson eyes glanced back to the row of doors that decorated the hallway. It was a dead-end, so these emeralds could not have been taken away to another place. Especially with that short amount of time. Something was off here. 

“Shadow, where are they?”

“They’re gone.”

A scoff was heard.

“What do you mean gone? They cannot just—”

He sighed and looked at the Doctor.

“I lost the trail. I felt the chaos energy near here, but then, it just disappeared. There’s no longer a trace.”

“That’s impossible…”

Shadow thought so, too.

The Doctor clicked on his communicator and directed his orders to the robots.

“I sent my location. Get here and scan this place, now!”

The dark hedgehog knew it was useless. Those robots would not find anything. No matter how much power the Doctor used, those chaos emeralds were gone. He stood to the side as the large machinery made their way to where he stood and made a full scan of the hallway. Then they did one of every room. 

Rolling his eyes, Shadow decided to explore the other rooms while the Doctor oversaw the robots doing their scans. He walked into a large lecture room, he assumed, and his eyes skimmed over the furniture inside. He wondered if Maria would want to study here. She was a smart child and was always curious to learn anything she could find aboard the Ark. He sat down on one of the room’s chairs, where the students of this university would sit, and glanced towards the front. 

The dark hedgehog’s eyes narrowed at the words that were scribbled on the blackboard.

‘Study of Chaos Energy’

Whoever was here had written the words in bold, white chalk. It was placed at the center, meaning it could have been the subject of this class. Shadow never heard about humans creating a focus on chaos energy into their educational institutions. Then again, mobians had altered much of the life around Mobius. They had managed to attend classes with humans for one.

It seemed that even humans, nowadays, wanted to explore such a concept. But then his mind took him back to the Ark. Gerald had studied chaos energy, too. It was the only way he was created and was given his abilities that he constantly used. All the man’s work was put into him…and now he was dead. 

He stood from his seat and approached the blackboard. Crimson eyes stared at the words. People still wanted to study something that caused them problems, involving him, in the past. How foolish were they?

His hand grabbed the eraser from the edge and wiped off the words from the board. The Doctor didn’t need to see this, and as far as he knew, they no longer had any business here. The chaos emeralds were no longer present. Deep down, Shadow was disturbed by this thought. Sure, the sudden disappearance saved him time, but then there was the question of who could have gotten the emeralds then.

“Shadow, let’s go! We need to move quickly and continue searching!”

Hearing the Doctor yelling his orders from the hall, he turned to head back outside and join the scientist. Sharp eyes caught sight of a nameplate on the desk that sat near the blackboard. Noting the name down, he quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.

They lost a lead, but Shadow gained a possible new one. He just needed to find more information on this person.

Who are you, Dillon Pickle?

* * *

_ “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Lynn.” _

_ A soft laugh came from the woman that sat on the other side of the screen. Ovi Kintobor had finally met Rebekah Lynn, the guiding scientist that led D.L.R.P., with Peterson’s help, of course. However, he had hoped to meet her in person.  _

_ “The pleasure is all mine, Dr. Kintobor. I have heard many things about you and your work aboard the A.R.C.H.E.!” _

_ He chuckled at hearing her compliments, finding her to be kind already. _

_ “Well, I try to keep up with everyone back home, but I do have to say, I was hoping to meet you in person, Ms. Lynn.” _

_ Some shifting could be heard on the other end, the camera slightly moving along with it. She must be using a laptop, he thought. _

_ “Ah, yes. I was also hoping to visit the A.R.C.H.E. and join you, but unfortunately, something came up on my side. I am truly sorry, Doctor.” _

_ She was also sincere, it seemed. _

_ “It’s alright, things can sneak up on anyone and change plans. Don’t worry about it, Ms. Ly—” _

_ “Bek.” _

_ “Uh…” _

_ Another giggle came from the young woman. _

_ “You can call me Bek, Dr. Kintobor.” _

_ Ovi knew they would become good friends already. She carried a spirited soul, different from the sarcastic and monotonous scientists he had before. It was too bad she couldn’t join him here at the space station. Last he remembered, it was something about the young scientist coming down with something.  _

_ “Bek, it is then! However, I think it would only be right if you also call me by name, Ovi.” _

_ The young woman, Bek, nodded with a bright smile. He returned a smile of his own and gathered the paper titled ‘Classified Transfer’. It was a receipt of some kind that detailed the items that were being imported or exported from a research facility to another. Usually, they weren’t classified, often written in public records, but what was being transferred was of high importance for just anyone to know. _

_ After all, it wasn’t every day that Chaos Borns were sent up to his station. When Ovi heard of the news, from Peterson, he thought it was quite dangerous, the journey itself from the planet to space was enough to reconsider. But with enough persuasion and getting to meet Bek, finally, he agreed to continue the studying of these creatures aboard the A.R.C.H.E. _

_ “Have the Chaos Borns arrived, yet?” _

_ He looked down at the transfer receipt, dictating the arriving date.  _

_ June 15, XXXX. _

_ Today was June 14, which meant the creatures would be arriving tomorrow. He glanced back up at the computer screen. _

_ “No, they arrive tomorrow, according to the receipt, but is there anything specific I should know about them?” _

_ Bek leaned back and hummed, most likely thinking of anything to give him as reminders. He waited patiently for her. _

_ “First off, they don’t like being called by their tags…” _

_ He frowned. _

_ “What do you mean?” _

_ The woman scooted forward and gestured between them.  _

_ “Well, we have names, right, so they also have one that they wished to be called by.” _

_ “Oh! Yes, of course, that’s not a problem…” _

_ Bek clapped and moved some papers that came into view, in the corner of the screen. _

_ “Cool! In that case, LCB-17 is Betzalel, and DCB-05 is Caerulus.” _

_ Latin, interesting. _

_ “Those are Latin based, correct?” _

_ The blonde female smiled at his question, giving a small nod as an answer. _

_ “You’re right, they are. Interesting, huh?” _

_ “Definitely, not to mention it’s better than mine.” _

_ “How so?” _

_ He chuckled, remembering that his given name is quite an amusing topic for many. _

_ “Ovi is often a prefix to many terms, in Latin, that relate to an egg.” _

_ Nothing but silence followed after what he said. Until he heard the bubbling laughter of the female scientist, who clearly was trying to hold back her tears. Ovi wasn’t upset about her reaction to his name, if anything, he was quite happy to get such a reaction out of the female. It just went to prove that Rebekah Lynn would be a great colleague to work with. _

_ “I-I’m sorry, I-it’s just that…I didn’t mean to be rude.” _

_ “No, no, it’s alright. In reality, I believe that this is one of the ways I get to learn more about my colleagues that I work with.” _

_ “Really?” _

_ “Of course, not all of them are quite easily impressed by my jokes, like you. I hardly have a conversation with others, here, that doesn’t have to do with work or science in general.”  _

_ “Does that mean I’m an exception, then?” _

_ “An exception I’m so grateful for!” _

_ This time it was both of them bursting with laughter, and for once, Ovi was glad that he was able to work with someone else, another fellow scientist, and could finally change the atmosphere around here, even without being physically present.  _

_ “Alright, alright, enough joking around. I really wish to know more about Betzalel and Caerulus…” _

_ Calming down from her laughing fit, she cleared her throat and started to explain more about the Chaos Borns. He listened carefully to every detail. _

_ “Betzalel is a male Light Chaos Born, with the protective gene present in his code, and you’ll find that he easily handles chaos energy when tested. He’s also very fond of learning, so I would suggest you create a method for him to read about different subjects, especially on flora. On that note, he’s kind of shy and finds it hard to open up to anyone he doesn’t know. Please be patient with him, I know he’ll come around.” _

_ He was surprised to hear fondness in the female’s voice, and he wondered how much she really cared for these creatures. In the back of his mind, though, Peterson’s strict instructions remained stuck. The man had wanted these creatures to be tested and treated like test subjects, which to Ovi’s opinion, wasn’t the best choice, or a choice at that. After all, Chaos Borns breathed the same air as them and lived among them, just like all other mobians, but now, they were being treated as objects. _

_ “For Caerulus, he is a male Dark Chaos Born, with the…destructive gene, and for him, you want to be careful during testing. He hasn’t gotten a handle of chaos energy like Betzalel just yet. That being so, I do want to continue helping him gain a better understanding of his powers, so I would like for us to have a good focus on that. And uh…oh yeah, he’s the opposite of shy! Caerulus always speaks his mind and if he doesn’t like something, then be sure that he’ll say it to your face. Aside from that, I think with Caerulus you need to be…honest.” _

_ “Honest?” _

_ “He hates it when people lie to him, even sugar-coating is not allowed.” _

_ He hummed and nodded. Ovi couldn’t blame the Dark Chaos Born, especially since the poor thing had to live who knew how long aboard the station just because he was different from others. _

_ “Straightforwardness got it. Would he like anything in particular, like Betzalel?” _

_ “Give him space. Also, don’t worry about this, Ovi, soon enough they’ll learn to like you, too.” _

_ He smiled at her reassurance, something he didn’t know he needed. Chaos Borns was something he read about, through the research of D.L.R.P. and other reports by Peterson, that talked about how they were unique. Something about being able to resist any disease or use unimaginable strength to do anything they wanted. However, there was something specific about these two that gave them dominance over their very own kind. _

_ “Bek?” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “I know you sent me previous notes on the Chaos Borns, but I have to ask. What makes Betzalel and Caerulus different from the rest? What’s so special about them?” _

_ “That’s quite a question, but I’ll try to explain what I can. It comes down to their unique chaos signature that all mobians have. As Chaos Borns, they attain the ability to manipulate chaos energy, but even they can pass the limits of what Chaos Borns are capable of doing. For example, Betzalel was the first one to show high levels of speed, quite unnatural for a being. This wasn’t seen in any other Light Chaos Born which made him stick out like a sore thumb.” _

_ “How fast?” _

_ Bek let out a small whistle, stretching her hand out, implying how impressive the Light Chaos Born’s speed reached. _

_ “So fast that our equipment couldn’t work fast enough to keep up with him, and trust me, our tech around here is top-notch so…” _

_ His eyes widened and his interest spiked. _

_ “That is impressive!” _

_ “Then you’ll love Caerulus, he was able to ruin a set of the equipment in his first try.” _

_ Ovi gasped at hearing these news. _

_ “Does this mean he’s…” _

_ “Faster than Betzalel? Yes, he actually is, by a few seconds, but still faster. He’s like a speed demon, you know?” _

_ A speed demon. Now that he had to see with his own eyes. These creatures did sound quite surreal to even exist. But before anything else…  _

_ “I look forward to meeting Caerulus and Betzalel! I hope they enjoy their stay on the A.R.C.H.E., and Bek, I promise I’ll keep an eye out for them. They will be treated as equals here, nothing less. After all, we should appreciate that they let us do all these trials on them. I can only imagine it must be frustrating and tiring for them…” _

_ “I agree…and thank you, Ovi. Your words let me feel calmer, knowing that they’re in safe hands.” _

_ Ovi Kintobor would keep this promise for Bek, a new friend and colleague, and those Chaos Borns, even if he hasn’t met them, but deep down, he just knew they were going to be good friends as well. Maybe, this time, he had luck. Just maybe, this time he would not feel lonely, up here with the stars. _

_ Just maybe. _

* * *

Her ears caught the sound of her communicator beeping, and her teal eyes saw Blaze’s contact. She looked up at the pink hedgehog and red wolf that were talking amongst themselves. Amy had wanted to make sure the kid wasn’t hurt in any way, clearly, she mothered anyone she met. 

__

Rouge stepped to the side, a little distance away from the duo that was talking. She clicked on the screen and answered.

“Blaze, what’s up?”

A familiar hedgehog’s voice could be heard whispering in the background before a female voice spoke through the line. 

“We have intel on that god you told me about.”

The bat glanced back, making sure that the hedgehog and wolf were still busy, and without taking her eyes on them, she asked the princess something.

“How bad is it?”

Silence came from the communicator, slight hissing from the static, but no answer. She frowned at the sign. 

“Not good, Rouge.”

Nothing ever went right for them, did it?

“Alright, give me a sec.”

Silencing the communicator, she approached Amy and Gadget, who was currently sitting on the high bench. She snuck a glance at the x-rays that the pink hedgehog got from the wolf’s body, ultimately finding nothing too bad with them. Teal eyes returned to the duo.

“Looks like the kid’s alright, huh?”

Amy turned to her and nodded.

“Yeah, he is, but I still want to check some things. Is that alright, Gadget?”

The wolf nodded and glanced at her, but she gave him her usual smirk, noting that he was clearly getting a read on her. Shadow had taught him right, she thought, but sadly, no one could fully read her like an open book. She was also a great actress, and with that came the ability to look neutral. 

Rouge knew Gadget was helping Shadow, who she still thought was dumb enough to go after the Doctor alone, but she needed to figure this out first before slipping the information to the wolf.

“Well, if you need me, just call. I want to go check on Vector and Espio, tell them about how the bee’s doing…”

“Yeah, don’t worry, we’ll join you soon.”

However, before she left, Rouge looked back at the pink hedgehog that was focused on the wolf's being, getting new material out for another test.

“Rose, you need to contact your princess soon, you know, or she’ll get upset.”

Pink quills whipped around and jade eyes looked into her teal ones. Amy had woken up hours ago, but as far as Rouge knew, the heroine hadn’t contacted the feline princess, which was only supported by the fact that Blaze wasn’t yelling at her. 

“I-I’ll call her. I just need to finish this up first…”

The bat wasn’t sure if to trust the pink hedgehog, but she couldn’t stay and make sure. A call was waiting for her, with the princess to be exact, and these details needed to be out before they confronted the Doctor again. So with that in mind, Rouge turned on her heel and exited the med bay. 

Her feet took her to the only place she would find privacy.

The bathroom.

It was the only place she knew that she could talk to Blaze without being interrupted by anyone. Entering the room, she locked the main door and walked down to plop onto the toilet seat. She might as well get comfortable with what she was about to hear, even after hearing that it would be bad news she was going to hear. Finally seated, Rouge clicked her communicator again.

“What did you gather?”

Blaze’s voice came through the communicator.

“We looked into everything that was reported by G.U.N., images, energy readings, everything.”

She scoffed, something didn’t add up already.

“The  _ Commander _ let you have access to all that? Be honest, did you break in and steal the info?”

“ _ Rouge _ …”

“No, no, I’m serious! That man usually doesn’t do something like that unless he benefits from it.”

Her ears picked up the sigh that the pyrokinesis princess let out. 

“He let us have access to his intel as long as we were supervised. Agent Topaz had guid—”

“Topaz helped you?! I can’t believe this! Topaz helps you, but she doesn’t  _ dare _ help moi!”

That woman always reported her to the Commander. Apparently, she managed to get under the woman’s skin, which was ridiculous because she always was respectful towards her! Well, there was that one time when she glued her lock—

“Rouge, that’s not important right now! Focus on the situation at hand!”

Pink lips pouted at the feline’s scolding but did as she was told.

“Fine. I’m listening…”

“We managed to find an image that showed someone leaving the Doctor’s lab. We scanned it to get an ID on them.”

Her ears perked up at that.

“Who was it?”

“We got no match, but we did get something else.”

No ID, fuck. That could have been pretty helpful…

“According to Topaz, G.U.N. had files on record that could also come up if we did an image scan on the person. One file resulted from the millions that were in the database. It was a scripture…”

Scripture? She never knew G.U.N. kept records of old artifacts. It was usually hard for them to get their hands on them when Spagonia University claimed them first, but the institution usually returned them to the cultural lands.

“So, what about it?”

“Well…it’s…”

This toilet seat was getting uncomfortable, she thought.

“What is it, Blaze?”

A silent answer. Rouge was getting impatient with the feline. What was it with royals holding these moments in susp—

“It belongs to the Ancient Echidna Tribe.”

She blinked. Did she hear that right?

“What did you say?”

“G.U.N. has an incomplete scripture that belongs to Knuckles’ ancestors in their database…”

_ What? _

“H-how do they even have that?! Knuckles says that all his ancestors’ records are left in the ruins…tell me you’re wrong, Blaze…”

“I’m sorry, Rouge, but Silver and I saw the scripture. Topaz went to inform the Commander of these new findings now…”

Her mind was having a hard time grasping this revelation. G.U.N. kept a scripture of Knuckles’ ancestors. For how long have they had this? Why didn’t she know of its existence? How did they even manage to get their hands on one, incomplete, but one nonetheless? 

“Rouge…”

The bat snapped out of it and looked back down at the communicator.

“Leads in return for the info, of course, he would do that. I have to tell Knuckl—”

“Rouge, listen to me. I need to know how long ago this tribe existed.”

“Why?”

“If you gave us an exact time, then…Silver and I can travel back in time to stop him.”

“No! You are not doing that! When I heard Knuckles talk about this guy’s power, he was  _ terrified _ , Blaze. I-I never seen Knuckles like that before…”

“The scripture said that Mephiles would purge our homes until he got what he wanted. Do you have any idea what that could be referring to?”

“No, but what I do know is that you and Silver are going to head back this insta—”

“Rouge, we need to deal with this now before…before something worse happens. Our friends already got hurt by him.  _ Amy  _ already got hurt because of him. Please, Rouge…”

Rouge knew that sending the time-travelers back would be dangerous, basically risking their lives, but if they didn’t do something now, then they would be facing something far worse than just that energy gas.

Choices were so fucking hard to make.

“4,000 years ago.”

But in the end, Rouge had to make one.

“Thank you, Rouge. We’ll make sure to stop him. I promise.”

Teal eyes became blurry, but she tried to hold them back.

“Just…return to us as soon as you can…”

One slipped down her cheek.

“Of course.”

“Blaze?”

“Yes?”

She took a deep breath.

“A-amy is okay…just so you know. She didn’t seem like she wanted to call you and I could only guess it’s because you might get upset about not being there for her…and I’m sorry I sent—”

She heard the princess chuckling.

“What’s so funny? I’m literally apologizing here and you just—”

“Rouge, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you or Amy. Sure, I wished she could have called me rather than leave me wondering about her state, but I know she’s okay. Do you know why?”

Two more slipped down her other cheek.

“W-why?”

“Because you’re there. I trust you to keep her safe for me, Rouge. I trust you. Just like you trust Shadow is good at heart, even with all this happening.”

Several more fell from both her eyes.

“Good luck, Blaze.”

With that, the call ended and all of them fell. Tears flew down her cheeks, and small sobs came from her pink lips. 

Rouge the Bat was crying in a bathroom. Who would have thought this was something she would end up doing…

Why were choices so  _ fucking _ hard to make?

* * *

_ Keith Peterson was many things. _

_ He was a son. He was a student. He was a colleague. He was a friend. He was a leading scientist. He was a pioneer of science and politics finally joining together. He was famous. He was more than just smart. _

_ He was ambitious. _

_ He accomplished many goals in his life so far.  _

_ Finding the cure to multiple diseases, inventing new sources of energy, creating new accurate tools of measurement, designing new science programs, building new defensive machinery, and so much more.  _

_ But, he was ambitious. _

_ So, he couldn’t help but lay out a new project. A classified one, with few people knowing of its existence, who pledged into secrecy or had to face the consequences of betraying him. After all, he still had contact with those jackals that had rounded up enough goods for the testing phase. _

_ He already had Project Light, publicly known to the world. _

_ But, he was ambitious. _

_ Originally, he had wanted to make a serum that would be injected into military soldiers to fight in combat, increasing their likelihood of surviving. A good cause for the world, for their nation. The only problem with it was that he needed Chaos Borns to test on, but that was soon taken care of. Amazing results came from the testing phase! But once again, his mission was cut short, by the government’s intervention. They stopped the research and experimenting. He was told to be patient and wait for answers. _

_ But, he was ambitious. _

_ All Chaos Borns were released, able to interact with society again. He knew they left with scars, physically and mentally. After all, this was all done for their nation. The people had to understand why he did it. They had to eventually know, too, of what he had done, anyway.  _

_ With the right money and people, he was able to hide away, unknown to the rest of the government, two Chaos Borns, the ones that truly mattered, at least. One Light Chaos Born and one Dark Chaos Born. They proved to be the right subjects for his continued research. _

_ But, he was ambitious. _

_ Falsification of several reports and records later, the Chaos Borns were transferred from D.L.R.P. to the famous space station led by Ovi Kintobor, another man that would fail to see his true intentions. With the help of Rebekah and Kintobor, he had been able to reach an answer for the serum. _

_ But, he was ambitious. _

_ Keith Peterson created Project Dark. _

_ The objective: create a Chaos Born. _

_ Oh, but there was more to it. This Chaos Born would not just be any normal one, no, it would contain the genetic code of both a Light and Dark. It would carry the protective and destructive genes that leave Chaos Borns at their prime state. Their powerful state. It made sense he thought of this. He had the serum, so basing the foundations for this project wouldn’t be hard. He had enough data from Kintobor’s notes and Rebekah’s records.  _

_ Why send out humans to fight off in wars when they could send in a Chaos Born to do it for them? After all, Chaos Borns had long walked among them, being dangerous threats to their civilization, but now they would be repaying all that time with this service. If he was able to create just one Chaos Born, then the world would see how brilliant he was. _

_ How ambitious he was! _

_ But, then again, he was still more ambitious than that. _

_ So, it wasn’t a surprise he decided to make two of those creatures.  _

_ But this one would only be kept under his supervision and no one else’s. The world had to understand why he had decided to do this. It was his purpose. It was who he was. _

_ Keith Peterson was ambitious, above all things. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> A greater focus on Ivo's thoughts and his memories. Project Dark's purpose was finally revealed, but two Chaos Borns were created. Can you guess who these creatures are? Hint: one of them is Mephiles.
> 
> Shifting back to the hero, Sonic experiences another flash of memories, except this time, it involves a golden hedgehog. 
> 
> Shadow does his own investigating on this Dillon Pickle from Spagonia University, and we learn more about Blaze's and Silver's new adventure.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A greater focus on Ivo's thoughts and his memories. Project Dark's purpose was finally revealed, but two Chaos Borns were created. Can you guess who these creatures are? Hint: one of them is Mephiles.
> 
> Shifting back to the hero, Sonic experiences another flash of memories, except this time, it involves a golden hedgehog.
> 
> Shadow does his own investigating on this Dillon Pickle from Spagonia University, and we learn more about Blaze's and Silver's new adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big chunk of details is revealed in this chapter...
> 
> Aside from that, recommend reading Wildfire86's "The Perks(?) of Working From Home" and katypery's "Private Affairs". Plenty of fun in those fics with our favorite two hedgehogs ;)

Two pairs of feet landed on the rough patch of dirt, small blades of grass barely visible. Dark golden eyes scanned the area for any threats. A small breeze passed by, ruffling his silver quills, and the chirping of birds could be heard in the dense rainforest up ahead. Right now, they were standing at the edge of the forest, where an eerie feeling settled in after the breeze passed by.

Silver glanced at Blaze, who was switching her gaze from the forest to her communicator. He looked back around the area and for the first time, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Silver had wanted to return to Mobius, present time, of course, to visit everyone, see how everyone was doing. As a time-traveler, his missions with Blaze were quite a hassle, primarily since it involved traveling a lot, but he enjoyed helping people from his home, too. From his future. 

“We need to search for the tribe.”

His eyes opened, Blaze was looking at him, tiredness was written all over the princess’s face, he had known for a long time now to see when she was exhausted. This mission was important. It would leave them with an advantage, hopefully, and they would change the course of the events in Present Mobius, once again, hopefully. With that in mind, Silver decided not to point out his friend’s exhaustion, and instead, nodded. 

Together, they stepped further away from the edge and closer into the rainforest. Instantly, Silver felt the difference between where he had been and now. The air felt humid and a line of moistness formed on his neck. The fluff on his chest made him even hotter. His eyes glanced to the person that walked alongside him. 

Blaze’s focus was straight ahead, ears flickering in every direction where the cooing of birds echoed, and her tail followed behind her, almost dragging. Another clear sign of exhaustion for the feline princess. He wanted to talk to her, but what would they even converse about?

They returned for a relaxing vacation but received only bad news. Sonic was captured by the one person they thought would never be capable of doing so. Not to mention that Eggman had actual help this time. His mind thought of the pink hedgehog, but last he heard, Amy had been hurt during battle, so that was still a touchy subject. Then there was this whole thing about chasing after a god that could literally kill them. What was scarier was the fact that their friends back home could either benefit or not from this mission… 

Tired of the silence, Silver took his chances, biting his lip one last time before asking his friend something.

“So, how’s Amy…”

Light golden eyes looked at him before staring ahead. 

“She’s fine. After you left to keep watch, Rouge had told me that she was awake and had been for a while.”

Remembering that he was standing outside the Communications room, to keep watch as Blaze said, he had felt nervous since he didn’t know what he would have said if someone came by to ask for them. But, to his luck, no one caught them, not even the woman, Topaz. It turned out that Blaze had talked to Rouge more than just about their lead, he thought.

“That’s good to hear, but why didn’t she call before if she was awake?”

The princess’s shoulders slumped and her ears drooped. 

“Rouge thinks that Amy might have been scared to tell me about it since…she got hurt when I wasn’t there…”

Silver hated to see Blaze like this, but deep down, he also understood where the pink heroine was coming from. He had his fair share of injuries and slip-ups, with Blaze’s and without her supervision, but it was worse when his best friend wasn’t there with him. The main reason was that he felt guilty. He would promise to be careful when going out on a solo mission only to get hurt in the process. He tried to stay away from the princess, basically playing hide and seek with her, and find time for himself to heal. But, in the end, Blaze always found out. Sure, she would be mad at him first, but then, she would bandage him up, with a soft look in her eyes. That’s when he learned that Blaze just wanted him to be okay and not to hide away from her. She didn’t want him to deal with his pain alone.

“Blaze?”

“Yes?”

“You know she loves you, right? She just doesn’t want to worry or distract you from other things, especially right now. She thinks helping free Sonic and defeating Eggman is what matters, but trust me, she’ll tell you…when she’s ready.”

Her gaze peeked over to look at him, and he offered her a smile for reassurance. A small one grazed her lips and swiftly her tail stood taller.

“Thank you, Silver.”

“No problem!”

With a new skip to his feet, Silver focused back on the path in front, and finally, he was comfortable with the silence surrounding them.

* * *

_Dr. Kintobor was interested in the Chaos Borns greatly, but he also felt responsible for them for some reason. Sure, he had never met them before, but ever since he saw them since their arrival, he believed that he needed to do more than just keep an eye on them. So, he had asked Peterson about letting the hedgehogs come out of their pods. The poor things were only conscious for testing phases, and even then, they were put in containers, for safety reasons he was warned. Ovi just rolled his eyes at this._

_Unfortunately, he never received a response, a clear sign that he couldn’t let them out. He was displeased to hear nothing and ended up staring at the computer screen for a good few minutes before he got an idea. Nothing of a proposal was drafted between Peterson and him, which meant that the Doctor could do as he wished, and technically, he wasn’t breaking any rules, Peterson was informed of his desires, after all._

_So, the next time that Betzalel and Caerulus were conscious during their testing, they were heading out of the testing chamber to return to their pods, but Kintobor stopped them. Red and green eyes looked at him, a dull expression, and he felt a slight pang in his heart for seeing them so…tired, so lost._

_“I have good news for both of you.”_

_They continued to just stare at him, but that didn’t stop him from smiling._

_“You’ll no longer have to return to your stasis pods!”_

_The hedgehogs’ eyes widened at his remark and glanced at each other for a few seconds. Caerulus was the first to respond._

_“Temporarily?”_

_Ovi shook his head._

_“Permanently.”_

_Red eyes became brighter at hearing the good news, but sadly, the green counterparts didn’t. Instead, he heard a scoff come from the dark hedgehog._

_“Is something wrong, Caerulus?”_

_Peach arms were crossed over the hedgehog’s chest, right foot tapped on the gray floor, and green eyes narrowed in his direction._

_“You probably just want to test on us more than you already are.”_

_It looked like Bek was right about the Dark Chaos Born, he thought. Caerulus did speak his mind and authority didn’t seem to matter to him as well. Of course, Ovi disliked the use of that authority card, claiming that it would only make him like a dictator rather than a scientist. The last thing he wanted was for Caerulus to think he was a villain._

_“No, actually, I just want you two to enjoy your stay here, in the A.R.C.H.E., and I know that those pods are quite uncomfortable.”_

_The Dark Chaos Born didn’t shift, but his counterpart, Betzalel, spoke up._

_“Thank you, Doctor.”_

_Ovi smiled at the young Light Chaos Born, who returned one of his own, but shifting his attention back to the blue one, he saw the hedgehog pout, finding it strange. Green eyes were fixed on the golden hedgehog, but once Caerulus caught him looking, the pout disappeared. His smile grew more, and a new blush painted a peach muzzle._

_Ovi was not expecting this._

_He would have to speak with Bek about any relationships these hedgehogs had if they had any. But now…_

_“Follow me, I’ll show you your new rooms!”_

_With that, the two Chaos Borns followed him, but with one glance back, he saw the curious eyes of the hedgehogs look at their new surroundings. This time, both carried a new shine to their eyes, clearly impressed with the station’s layout and framework. He felt proud at that moment, and then he got another idea._

_“Would you like a tour of the station?”_

_Gold ears perked up at the invitation, and a bigger smile graced Betzalel’s lips._

_“If that’s alright with you, Doctor, of course.”_

_“It’ll be my pleasure!”_

_Switching up his plans, Ovi turned a corner, two pairs of feet following, and he glanced at them._

_“I’ll show you your rooms after we have explored the station.”_

_He received an immediate answer from the striped hedgehog, as always._

_“Thank you, Doctor, we really appreciate your efforts to welcome us here.”_

_He gave the hedgehog another smile, his eyes quickly looking over at the dark blue hedgehog, expecting no answer from him, and returned to look forward._

_A quiet voice then came._

_“Yeah, thanks…Dr. K.”_

_The dark blue hedgehog grumbled out his own ‘thank you’. He couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at the lack of respect in the hedgehog's use of his name. Sure, Betzalel had called him Doctor, leaving out his last name, which still was seen as disrespectful around here to the other scientists. Yet, as he had thought before, he didn’t care. Caerulus could call him, Dr.K, if he wanted. Ovi would actually enjoy a new nickname around this place, where everyone addressed him by his full professional title._

_He could get used to just being known as Doctor and Dr.K, but for some reason, again, he could only imagine these hedgehogs address him as such, no other person. And he hoped that no one else would._

* * *

He tried. He really did, but he just couldn’t resist it anymore. His body was already so tired, and his mind was just…

Sonic had always been afraid of thinking too deeply about things, especially when it came to himself. That was why he always tried to move fast because then he wouldn’t have to face those thoughts he didn’t like. Thoughts about the destruction that followed when he fought Eggman. Thoughts about the misleads he had chased instead of the correct ones. Thoughts about the thousands of times he had let down all those people he fought for. Thoughts about the lives that were lost because he just couldn’t run faster, couldn’t hold on tighter. And all those thoughts just brought him back to his greatest fear. 

The events of the Ark left a permanent reminder on him. If he really was a hero, then he would have done right the first time. If he really was Sonic the Hedgehog, then he would have seen the troubles that Shadow had been fighting during the first time. If he really was the fastest thing alive, then he would have saved Shadow the first time…

But, he wasn’t any of those things. Deep down, he wasn’t a hero, or the fastest thing alive, not even Sonic the Hedgehog. He was just a failure, a problem for others to carry, a toy that was played with over and over because he let it happen. He was nothing but a disgusting, breathing monster that didn’t deserve anything.

Those thoughts were the ones he tried to keep locked and away from his mind, to not think deeply of them. If he did, then he would not only be a disgusting, breathing monster, but he would also be a murder.

Again, right?

That’s what the voice was telling him, was it not?

He had been a murder before.

At a time he couldn’t remember quite well but knew existed, according to the voice in his head. 

The hero did know that he would only be capable of doing _that_ if he turned dark, but…

Sonic had only turned dark once, and the only person who knew was Knuckles, which still was concerning, given the circumstances they were in.

He tried. He really did, but he just couldn’t resist it anymore. His body was already so, so tired, and his mind was just…

Tired, too.

So, his eyes slipped shut, and for the first time, without being forced unconscious, Sonic let himself sleep, in his small prison cell.

~~~~

_How did everything go so wrong?_

_A moment ago, they had been joining together, gathering the emeralds, transforming, and fighting off the Biolizard, stopping it from guiding Space Colony Ark to crash into Mobius, their home._

_And, they did end up doing right, just like Sonic had wanted, and Shadow had promised. But, then everything went so wrong._

_His red eyes were sparkling, aflame with happiness at seeing their world safe, but then golden specks of dust crossed his vision, and turned to face his new, now good, friend. Right there, in front of him, Shadow’s silvery, golden fur was fading, dark quills coming back into focus, and ruby red orbs were looking at him. A smile graced the tan muzzle, the black fur melting back, and gold slipping away._

_Sonic saw as Shadow’s super form was fading away, leaving him powerless, defenseless, vulnerable among all the stars. With his own remaining strength, he moved faster than he ever had, in his life, and grasped the other’s hand, gripping it tightly. He couldn’t lose him, not after finally witnessing the real Shadow, the real hedgehog that hid behind that heart._

_“Shadow, I got y-you, j-just hold on—”_

_“It’s okay, Sonic.”_

_That was the first time he heard the black hedgehog call him by his name, and to his dread, it might be the last. How could he be okay with this?! DIdn’t he see that he would fall to his de—_

_No!_

_Sonic wasn’t going to let go, he couldn’t. Shadow still had so much to live for, to learn about, to meet new friends, to do back on their planet, with him. The blue hedgehog had never met someone like the Ultimate Lifeform, he was hooked the first time he set eyes on the other, and now, he wouldn’t even be able to tell him everything he wanted._

_“I’m not letting go! Come on, we can still make it back—”_

_“No, we won’t. But if you let go now, you could still save yourself.”_

_What was Shadow thinking?!_

_“Fuck! You know I won’t do that!”_

_Tears started to make his vision blurry, his heart was pounding, and all he could think about was Shadow falling, losing him, and fuck, he didn’t want that!_

_“Please, Sonic. Just let go, my promise to Maria has been fulfilled, and I am no longer needed—”_

_“I need you!”_

_Now sobs were being ripped out of his throat as he saw Shadow’s ruby eyes dwindle back to their crimson shade, a duller one at that. But that smile turned into a soft chuckle, white fangs peeked out of his dark lips._

_“I never took you for a romantic one, hedgehog, confessing to me, with all the stars around us…”_

_“So let me show you how much of one I am, just let me take you back home, p-please…”_

_His peripheral vision saw one of his golden feet fade between the bright yellow and blue. He was also about to turn back, but he wasn’t going to let go of Shadow’s hand._

_A hand touched his cheek, his burning red eyes looked into crimson, and then he felt soft lips barely touch his peach ones, finally breaking the dam. Tears slid down his face, another small sob leaving his lips as Shadow let go of them, his own eyes now becoming teary._

_“I know you want to save me, but I need you to let go. I’ll always remember you, Sonic…”_

_The last of the silvery golden shine left the dark hedgehog’s body, and with a shaking hand, Shadow’s hand slipped past the cuff of his inhibitor, and a smile still on his face, he fell towards the green and blue planet._

_“Shadow!”_

_His heart stopped pounding, only to cease at what he just lost, and he cried out to the void of space for taking away the best thing that has happened to him in a long time. He had finally found someone he could see face to face, without putting on a mask, and share all his vulnerabilities with because that dark hedgehog knew how life was hard. Shadow would have understood him where others wouldn’t, but now, he was gone._

_“Sonic…hiss…where are…hiss…you…hiss…”_

_Knuckles’ voice came through the hissing static of the communicator, attached to his still gold wrist. His eyes snapped to the device and then to his other hand, where he was holding the inhibitor, the only thing left of Shadow._

_Shadow had sacrificed his life for everyone else’s, amending his wrongs, but he wouldn’t have had to if Sonic had paid closer attention to the hedgehog, to what he had said. But no, the hero chose to ignore it and chase after Eggman, who he thought was the real problem._

_How did everything go so wrong?_

_“Sonic…hiss…are you….hiss…there…”_

_No, he wouldn’t let all this end with Shadow’s loss._

_He made his way back to the space colony and searched for the only thing that could help him save Shadow. His last remaining energy, from his enhanced form, allowed him to speed through the space station quicker than his normal speed would have given him. His eyes, now a green emerald, widened as he saw the red echidna, standing aside from the others, who witnessed their victory._

_“Knuckles.”_

_He caught the attention of amethyst eyes. Knuckles smiled, but upon seeing his dampened cheeks and tight hold on the inhibitor, it disappeared. The guardian approached him, the others in the room still celebrating their success, and his gloved hand, empty of anything, pulled the echidna outside._

_“Sonic, are you—”_

_“Where’s the Master Emerald?”_

_Amethyst eyes frowned, passing over his body once more before meeting his green ones again._

_“Sonic, tell me what happened and—”_

_He growled, ignoring the other’s concerning gaze._

_“Tell me where the Master Emerald is. Now.”_

_“Okay, calm down, Sonic. First, you need to tell me what’s wrong—”_

_He shoved the echidna, causing him to stumble at the sudden push._

_“Calm down? How can I calm down when I just lost Shad…”_

_Sonic couldn’t even finish that sentence. The guardian’s eyes looked back at the dried tears on his cheek, and the inhibitor in his hand, before it finally clicked in the other’s head. Emerald eyes looked back at the older’s eyes, fresh tears making their way back again, threatening to spill any moment. Red arms wrapped around him, in an instant, and Sonic let out another wave of pain roll out of him, sobbing into the echidna’s shoulder. He tried to stay quiet or the others might hear him, and he wasn’t ready for that._

_“I’m sorry, Sonic…I know how much you want to save everyone at the end, and to see him…fuck, I’m so sorry Sonic…”_

_His peach arms gripped his older friend, a brother to him, and fought the anguish that was eating at him right now. After calming down, taking a few breaths in, Sonic whispered his intentions to Knuckles._

_“I can go back and save him…I just need your help…and the Master Emerald…”_

_Releasing themselves from the hug, Knuckles looked at him, with another concerning look, and sighed._

_“Sonic…stop, don’t do this…I know it hurts you but—”_

_“I can save him, Knuckles. Just give me a chance, please. S-shadow doesn’t deserve to die, please…”_

_The echidna stood there, looking at him, figuring out what to do, a gloved hand rubbing the red forehead._

_“Follow me.”_

_They went down a few corridors before they arrived at where Knuckles hid the Master Emerald, most likely away from any prying hands of an evil genius or a certain jewel thief. Sonic quickly approached the green stone, taking out all the chaos emeralds from his quills and placing them near the larger one. He took several steps back and looked over at his red friend._

_“Are you sure about this, Sonic? Pain can mani—”_

_“Knuckles, you know I have to do this. It’s the only way to make things right. For him…”_

_The echidna took a breath and released it, knowing that nothing could change Sonic’s mind, especially when it came to saving his friends. The guardian approached the Master Emerald, closing his eyes and concentrating on what he was about to do. The chant echoed throughout the walls of the space station._

_“The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power...Power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos.”_

_The room was encased with green light, filling every corner until Sonic had to shift his eyes away from the emeralds. A few moments later, the light faded away and presented them with fully energized chaos emeralds. Knuckles finally opened his eyes and saw them as well. The hero quickly grabbed them and his hope for saving Shadow only increased._

_“Thank you, Knuckles…”_

_With a waving gesture, the guardian smiled at him, amethyst eyes watching his brightened mood._

_“Just do it before I regret it.”_

_And with that, Sonic whispered the famous words, and this time, he was ready more than he had been in that floating container moments ago._

_“Chaos control.”_

_His emerald eyes opened to see the same room he was in, but this time, Shadow was standing next to him, not dead._

_He did it._

_“Hedgehog, we need to move quickly if we’re going to save your home."_

_Crimson eyes were staring into his emerald ones, Shadow not knowing that he would die if Sonic didn’t save him first. He wanted to hug Shadow, kiss Shadow, but it wasn’t time for that, not yet…_

_“Hedgehog, are you listening—”_

_“Yeah, yeah, I heard you…but Shadow, you know this is your home_ _, too, now.”_

_The dark hedgehog’s eyes widened at his words, but he cleared his throat and nodded. The blue hedgehog gave him a bright smile, which only made the other narrow his gaze on him. The hero wanted to blurt out something, anything, maybe even convince the other to stay here while he tried to do the whole saving thing alone, but knowing Shadow, he wouldn’t let him. He could imagine getting a remark or comment about getting the spotlight and all…_

_“Let’s do this…”_

_They both tapped into the power of the chaos emeralds, feeling the rush of energy that was being transferred into their bodies. Sonic’s mind was focusing on the chaos energy, but the image of Shadow falling faltered his focus, almost losing the connection. He felt his hands shaking, his throat become dry, and his heart pounding, and not from excitement or the rush of energy. He failed Shadow the first time, but now he had a second chance. But that didn’t mean that the other still couldn’t die…_

_His mind felt pushed, stretched, as all those thoughts about seeing his dark counterpart fall again, fail him again…_

_“Sonic?”_

_Emerald eyes snapped open to see a confused Shadow, who was in his super form, looking at him. He frowned and decided to ask what was wrong before he heard his name come again from behind. Turning around, Knuckles was staring at him, with a shocked expression. His gaze looked down to himself, figuring out what was wrong with him. He did transform._

_Except, not into his super form, but his dark form, something that he had never done before._

_The hero looked back up at the echidna, who was quickly approaching him, with a hard glare. He gulped and reached the guardian halfway across the room. His ears picked up the quiet, still harsh, whispers of his friend._

_“What the hell, Sonic?! I thought you were going to save Shadow, not do this!”_

_A gloved hand gestured to his dark body, clearly upset about the turn of events that even himself didn’t see coming._

_“I swear Knuckles I just wanted to return and do this whole thing over—”_

_He stopped mid explanation when something else made him pause. His eyes looked back at his friend, confused by what the echidna just asked him._

_“How do you even know this? Isn’t chaos control supposed to only take me back?”_

_Amethyst eyes widened at his realization. Knuckles wasn’t supposed to know what Sonic was doing because the hero traveled back, only him, yet the guardian stood there, knowing his intentions._

_“What did you do?!”_

_“Me?! I didn’t do anything!”_

_“Then explain why I know what the hell is going to happen!”_

_“I don’t know! Maybe you did something wrong—”_

_“Yeah, right, if I remember right, it was you that chaos controlled!”_

_“And let me remind you that I already have done this with a fake chaos emerald so—”_

_“Can you please leave your whispering drama for some other time? We have a world to save…”_

_Shadow’s voice interrupted their hushed argument, leaving them to return to the objective at hand as his rival said. Giving Knuckles one last look, he walked over to Shadow._

_“Uh, y-yeah, let’s go!”_

_He had never used his dark form before, and he wasn’t the only one surprised by his new transformation. Shadow kept glancing at him, finding this new finding quite unnatural, he guessed. He wondered if his rival could also transform into this form._

_They made their way out, locating the Biolizard, and defeating the beast just like before. But this time, Sonic wasn’t going to let Shadow fall, he wasn’t going to fail him again. So, just as the first specks started to brush away from his rival’s body, he only thought of getting to him as quickly as possible. To his surprise, he was able to travel a lot faster in this form, compared to his super form. He grabbed Shadow’s torso, holding it tightly, and took them back inside._

_Shadow was safe._

_Sonic saved Shadow._

_He was overjoyed to see that this time, he had done it right. The hero embraced his rival in a kiss, surprising the other, peach lips felt tan ones move against his. Shadow’s arms circled Sonic and that’s when he knew this time it was a real victory. This time he could show, tell, Shadow everything! Slowly, they released their lips from each other, and glowing smiles were present on each of their faces. Sonic wanted to tell his rival how much he love—_

_“Well, it was fun working with you to save Mobius, but I don’t think—”_

_Eggman’s voice broke his train of thought, yet a new one formed when he continued to hear the man blabber on._

_“Eggman’s gonna pay for this.”_

_He released Shadow from his hold and shuffled away to find that bastard. The man was the reason why any of this even happened. He took advantage of Shadow and caused him to lose sight of the hedgehog’s real memory, of Maria’s promise. Eggman fed him false lies and tricked his dark rival into doing his dirty work—_

_“Sonic!”_

_His ears picked up Knuckles’ yell from behind. He stopped and turned around._

_“I need to go find that asshole to make him fucking pay for what he did!”_

_The echidna gave him a baffling look._

_“Shadow’s okay, Sonic. Now, calm down and chan—”_

_“Fuck no! I am going to find that bastard and teach him a lesson. Show him what happens when he messes with me!”_

_“Sonic…”_

_“Punch him until his face is unrecognizable and tear out his every limb to make him feel actual pain. Rip apart his brain to show him how he messed with Shadow’s head. Shove it down his fucking throat so he could choke on his blood—”_

_“Sonic!”_

_He looked at his red friend._

_“Are you even hearing yourself?! Your emotions are getting the better of you!”_

_What was happening with him?!_

_“I don’t know what came over me…”_

_Knuckles sighed and pointed a finger to his chest._

_“Look, you need to get rid of this form. The negative energy is messing with your mind. We need to change you back or you could end up hurting someone, Sonic.”_

_His stomach felt sick, bile rising up his throat, and the room suddenly started to spin. He felt awful, wanting to throw up. A hand grasped his arm, holding him up, and Knuckles’ next words made him even more sick._

_“I can’t let anyone know about your dark form, Sonic…not even Shadow.”_

_“What are you saying?”_

_Amethyst eyes showed guilt as the guardian further explained what he meant._

_“This form is a risk for everyone, imagine if the Doctor even knew about it…I’m sorry Sonic but I can’t let anyone know, it’s too much of a risk, especially for you…”_

_That meant…_

_“S-shadow…”_

_His friend’s gaze shifted away from his, looking to the side._

_“I will cast an enchanting spell on him, something small, with the power of the Master Emerald… I’m sorry Sonic…he won’t recall these events like you…”_

_His heart shattered into pieces again that day, finding it hard to believe that after everything, Shadow wouldn’t remember everything as it had happened. It meant that whatever love his rival held for him would disappear along with it. Sonic would have to start from base one with him. Shadow would never know how much they loved each other…_

_Earlier, Shadow had slipped from his hold and fell to his death._

_Now, Shadow was going to lose any memory he had of Sonic saving him, loving him…_

_"Shadow will only remember helping you… both in super forms...destroying the Biolizard, and then…making it back here by himself…"_

_Knuckles' words faded into the background. Sonic's mind was being stretched and pulled like before, but this time, an echo of a deep voice was chuckling, only heard by him as Knuckles' mouth was still moving._

_His breathing became unstable, and he finally remembered Knuckles warning him about hurting someone. He didn't want that but Shadow…_

_Heroes weren't supposed to be selfish. Yet here he stood, wanting to beat the Doctor to death and returning to his rival as if killing was nothing to him! His emotions were corrupted if he stayed in this form. No one was safe if anyone knew about it...especially with the Doctor possibly using it against him..._

_He gasped as a sturdy hand gripped his trembling one. He looked at the guardian._

_"Sonic, I know the consequences, too, and I will also remember your pain, hatred even, for me doing this, but I have to protect you first…"_

_The blue hero had always seen Knuckles as a brother, just like him with a young kit, so his heart squeezed at what he was hearing._

_Then he nodded and accepted before his mind decided to press his buttons more, doing something he'll only regret more…_

_How did everything go so wrong?_

* * *

Just like he thought, it was useless. Nothing came up during their search throughout the rest of the city. Shadow did not feel the chaos energy anymore, after the university visit, but the Doctor gave his orders. He was rather annoyed that the man had treated him like a hound to sniff out those emeralds. It wouldn’t be any different than the times G.U.N. decided to send him out, too, on missions. Humans…

It wasn’t long before the Doctor had decided to use the jackal, believing that the ruby stone would make a difference in their search. His mind did wonder what the stone was capable of doing when it came to chaos energy. Although, he had no time for that as he separated from the group that continued to search under the Doctor’s orders. 

His feet took him to a more secluded area of the city, away from any robots and behind a tall building, and decided to call in his only source to look up his potential lead on something. Fingers shifted the communicator and opened to the only contact recorded into it.

Shadow tried once, twice, but after the third time, he figured that Gadget was under certain circumstances that didn’t allow him to answer. The dark hedgehog didn’t know when he would get another chance to contact the wolf, so he decided to leave a message. He sighed and typed in the name, Dillon Pickle.

Whoever this was had a clear connection to chaos energy, which was interesting given that the chaos emeralds’ power radiated in large amounts from there. Was this person responsible for the abnormal change of energy from the university?

He fixed his communicator back and decided to head back with the others, who probably already noticed his lack of presence. Shadow had barely taken a step out of the shadow of the building before he felt dizzy. One of his hands shot out to grasp the wall, tilting his head a little down, and taking a deep breath in. 

It wasn’t helping.

Crimson eyes were losing focus of his surroundings, and he felt another wave of dizziness hit him, harder. This time he leaned his arm onto the wall. His feet tried to stabilize him on the ground and shifted to, now, lean his whole back against the solid wall. Soon, everything became blurry and his vision was temporarily taken away from him before coming back.

Instead of feeling the hardness of the wall behind him, he felt a smooth, cold surface. Looking down, his eyes also took notice of grey concrete turned into grey tiles. Ears no longer heard the faraway humming of robots in the city, but instead, he heard plain silence. 

He was in a corridor, at the edge of one, more precisely. It was dimly lit, but his eyes were still able to make out his surroundings clearly. 

Shadow noticed that he was no longer dizzy and his breathing was under control. He took cautious steps to the side, peeking over the corner, and saw no other presence. Calculated eyes roamed the space around him, white walls and smooth floor, a reflection of himself stared back if he looked long enough to distinguish it. He decided to turn the corner and figure out where he was.

Another corridor met him, like the one he was standing before. This one, however, had a window at the end of it. It was dark, crimson eyes squinting to see what he believed to be stars. His dark ears still picked up no sound. He took another few steps forward, slowly, and watching the end of the corridor for anything.

Was this another one of those weird episodes?

However, this time he wasn’t aboard the Ark. No, because the layout of this place was different, lacking the numerous doors that his past home had. This place was empty of any doors, the only sort of opening being the window he was walking towards, and as he approached it, his eyes widened. 

He might not be on the Ark, but he was still in space. 

His throat felt drier, but he remained calm, the last thing he wanted was for that _voice_ to make its way into his mind. No, he needed to remain calm. Reaching the end of the corridor, he noticed that it wasn’t a dead-end, Shadow saw that there was another hallway to the right. There was still no one else present.

Was he alone?

Finding no real threat around, even if he was in an unidentified location, he shuffled forwards and reached for the window, placing a gloved hand on the glass. Faraway stars blinked back at him in the distance, and a sad smile adorned his face, remembering old memories about a certain girl. 

Drip.

He blinked, thoughts disappearing along with the action, and his ears flickered at the sound. His quills bristled at the idea of having let his guard down in an unknown place. He looked to his right, nothing. Was his mind playing tricks on him?

Drip.

His dark body stiffened, hearing the sound behind him. Right behind him. He wished he had his chaos emerald, so he could chaos control—

A small whimper came from behind him this time.

Risking it, he quickly turned around, preparing clenched fists to fight back, but he froze at what he saw. At _who_ he saw.

There, in front of him, stood the translucent, green-eyed, creature, known as Chaos.

He recalled that it had been on Angel Island, fighting Sonic’s group of friends, diverting the attention away from the real goal, which was stealing the Master Emerald. More importantly, Chaos was no longer present as far as he knew, given the creature’s absence at the Doctor’s meetings. Yet, here it was, standing in front of him, _crying_.

Shadow didn’t know what to do.

This wasn’t something he was expecting at all, in his defense, because how would Chaos even find its way to wherever this place was, in space. Another whimper came from the creature, but Shadow maintained his defenses up, knowing that Chaos was still dangerous.

_It’s all my fault._

The dark hedgehog jumped at hearing the soft voice in his head. His heart began to race as he recalled his last encounter with the voice he heard the other times. Shadow needed to wake up or do something to get out of wherever he was—

_I’m sorry, Betzalel._

Shadow stopped his frantic thoughts and frowned. This voice…it didn’t sound like the other one. He didn’t feel any eerie or strange aura from it. Instead, this voice was shy, almost quiet, and held fear in it. Crimson eyes looked around for the source but nothing. No one, except Chaos, was with him.

_I'm so sorry, Betzalel._

There it was again, audible even with Chaos still whimpering. Another thing that was throwing Shadow off. This had to be a dream, he thought. There was no other explanation…but since when did his dreams involve the creature in front of him?

Tired of all these questions, Shadow tried the only thing he could think of. He pinched himself, Maria had taught him that pinching usually woke the person up from their dreams, but to his dismay, nothing changed. Maybe he needed to pinch harder, he thought. A small yelp later and still nothing. Shadow was still standing there, in the same corridor with Chaos, except this time, he felt the residing stung of his pinch.

_Betzalel_ …

Frustration at not getting nowhere, Shadow barked back at the voice.

"Who are you?!"

He was breathing hard, his heart picking up speed, so he chose to run down the right. Away from the window and Ch—

His skates screeched against the tiled floor, leaving black marks in their wake, and Shadow stumbled to stop himself before crashing into Chaos. How…

Shadow glanced back from where he stood moments ago, but to his nightmare, there was nothing. An empty corridor stared back. Horrified eyes snapped to the front where there was the same window, with the same stars blinking back at him, and the same crying creature watching him. His heart plummeted deeper when to his right stood the same corridor he thought he ran down.

It was like he never moved.

_Betz_ —

Swallowing down his fear, he tried again. Again and again, taking a breath, then he ran again. All his attempts failed. Shadow was running around in an endless cycle, stuck there without an exit.

_B_ —

"What do you want from me?!"

Gloved hands grasped striped quills, crimson eyes shook, and without any support nearby, the dark hedgehog fell to his knees. He didn't know where he was and now he couldn't leave! He wanted out! For fuck's sake, Sonic was still trapped and his friends were still in danger—

A wet touch startled him out of his thoughts. He peeked up to see that Chaos was now kneeling with him on the ground. He was about to yank his hands away from the blue being until he heard it. 

_Please, Betzalel, forgive me for causing you such pain._

The voice.

_Betzalel_ …

Chaos' watery tips skimmed his cheeks as if it was trying to caress him. Tears dripped down green eyes, reminding him of another person, and slowly, they puddled on the floor. Shadow decided to test something else.

"Chaos?"

Small ripples moved across the being's body. More tears dripped down, and his cheeks were now held securely in the other's hands.

_I'm listening…_

The voice came from Chaos.

Nothing made sense to Shadow anymore.

_Betzalel, ple_ —

But he could try one last thing before giving up.

"Where are we?"

_Do not push me away, Bet_ —

"Where are we, Chaos?!"

More ripples echoed down the body and more tears, almost like rainfall, fell, making the puddle expand.

_Betzalel, I'm sorry!_

"How do I leave this place?!"

His hands went to grip Chaos' if he even could, but he noticed the ripples, running down the blue body, only caused Chaos' form to expand. Tears were now splashing down on the large puddle that also grew below. Shadow felt the water increase, rising as the creature continued to cry. 

Crimson gaze looked back at the distressed being, clearly upset about something, and Shadow guessed that it was probably because of him. If he wanted answers, he would need to play along, so he lowered his hands. He made sure to calm down and carefully communicate with the creature.

"Chaos, I forgive you."

The ripples stopped and the flow of tears slowed down. He didn’t hear the voice, Chaos’ voice, but the creature maintained eye contact with him. Shadow wondered if it really worked.

_Do not lie to me, Betzalel, do not hide your pain away from me…_

Who even was Betzalel? Why was Chaos confusing him for someone else? What pain did the creature cause this Betzalel?

All these burning questions echoed in his mind but changed to focus on the matter at hand. Clearly, he needed to convince the other that his ‘apology’ was sincere. So, his gaze softened, as much as he could, and his voice followed suit.

“Chaos, I promise that I have forgiven you for what you have done.”

_After everything I have done…_

Honestly, the dark hedgehog had no idea what he was forgiving Chaos for, but he felt like it wasn’t a good idea to ask the creature about it.

“If you thought it was your only choice, then I understand your actions.”

_Even if it meant taking Caerulus away from you?_

Caerulus? 

More questions were just accumulating in his head. However, the striped hedgehog felt that he needed to answer this question with more honesty, especially if it involved taking someone away from another. Shadow knew all about that. Maria was his sister and best friend, a bright soul that lit up his dark days on the Ark, so it had managed to lead him astray, mixed with some altered memories, to cause mass destruction in his wake. That doesn’t even begin to describe how he felt on the inside. A large part of his heart, if not whole, was torn away and burned to embers as blue eyes lost their beautiful light that day. He blamed himself for a long time before he started to heal, with the help of his friends, now family. Although his heart healed, a permanent scar was left on it.

So, he knew he had to ask his next question.

“How did Caerulus’ presence impact me?”

Something shifted in the green eyes, whimpers ceased, and for a moment, his dark ears thought he heard a soft sigh come from the person across from him, knowing perfectly clear that Chaos couldn’t even speak physically.

_He made you who you are today. He cherished you, adored you, protected you, made love to you..._

His tan muzzle became warm at the last thing.

“Why?”

The hands that gripped his cheeks lowered themselves, except one, instead pointing to his chest fluff. More specifically, his heart.

_He was your mate, Betzalel, remember…_

Hearing those words made his heart soar for some reason. Shadow didn’t know, though, since the individual Chaos was talking about was not even him. So, why did his heart clench when he echoed the word ‘was’ in his mind, a clear sign that this Caerulus was no longer there…physically. 

_Betzalel, do you really forgive me?_

Shadow didn’t know anymore. Not after hearing that Chaos might have done something to take away Caerulus from Betzalel, whoever they were. Chaos took someone special away from another person, a mate at that. 

“Chaos, why do you call me Betzalel?”

His mouth was now moving on its own accord. In his mind, he didn’t mean to say that, but all these emotions…were just taking over.

_Because you are Beztalel._

He frowned.

“No, my name is Shadow. We have never met before, but I have heard about you from the red echidna. His family was wiped out from your doing—”

Chaos’ hands threw his hands on the ground, splashing against the water that remained from its crying. The translucent head shook.

_No! You are Betzalel!_

“I’m the Ultimate Lifeform.”

Unlike the yelling in his head, he remained calm, crimson eyes watching every move the other made. 

_Not the Ultimate Lifeform, but the last Light Chaos Born!_

Chaos Born?

“What you’re saying is not true—”

_Then why do you glow like a burning star, fitted to live above the heavens, and take a seat proper for an angel!_

“What are you—”

A long, slender, blue finger pointed down to the water they were kneeling in.

_Look at your reflection, Betzalel!_

Crimson eyes glanced down to see himself stare back, but not with the same jet black fur that covered his body. No, instead he was staring at a silvery golden form of himself. Shadow was in his super form. Looking away from his reflection, the dark hedgehog quickly got up and looked all over his body. Every inch of obsidian was now golden. 

Shadow looked back at Chaos, still kneeling, and then back at himself. How was this even possible?! This definitely had to be a dream. It just had to be, there was no other explanation. Finally, taking a toll, he quickly turned around to use his last, if it came down to it, option to flee away from all this...nonsense!

_Betzalel, do not run_ —

He ignored the voice and prepared to charge at the window, thinking that he could break through it to leave or something. Maybe the fear of falling into space would scare him enough to wake, after all, he had never experienced such a thing. 

It took all his effort to stop himself from crashing though because he gasped at the horrifying scene in front of him. Below, just under the rim of the window, where it had hidden his vision from the terrifying sight, the round planet that he called his home was nothing but a flaming disaster. 

“W-what happened?!

His gloved hands touched the window as if touching the glass would dispel the illusion of what he was seeing, but mostly, he did it to find something to grasp as his mind did, too. Every green surface was burning, some more than others and the blues were only consumed by the flames, too, leaving black ash spots. Mobius was gone, destruction or natural disaster taking it all and leaving its mark behind. If he wasn’t having a hard time believing what he was seeing, then he would probably think about how the planet seemed like a star, exhausting its last amount of nuclear fuel, dying among the deep sea of blackness, where its sisters were still shining. 

But all that beauty didn’t overpower the feeling of dread as it sunk deep into Shadow’s heart.

_My only choice._

Those were the last words he heard before everything became dark again. His vision was lost and then gained like before. Now, his wide eyes were staring at a display window, inside it were lined up books, and Shadow exhaled, not knowing that he was holding his breath. The agent glanced around, in every direction, yet he was back in the city. Glancing back, he noticed that he wasn’t staring at a window, with the hellfires burning, but in front of a bookstore, a display window presented to him. 

Was everything really a dream?

Shadow had walked down some distance from the building he hid behind, two stores down, more specifically. However, he was still alone. Streets were still empty and the humming of robots continued in the background, which reminded him. Figuring he was alone, he checked his communicator, finding the message he sent to Gadget, but only became intimidated by what stared back at him. 

Message Sent: 4:59 p.m.

Time: 4:59 p.m.

No minutes passed between the moment he sent the message and now.

Nothing.

What the _hell_ just happened?

* * *

_He leaned back in his chair, taking in a deep breath and relaxing for a moment. It had been a hard day, with no further development of the investigation, Peterson believed that he had some loose ties that needed to be eliminated. However, those jackals disappeared into who knows where leaving him to deal with those ‘political’ leaders alone._

_Yeah right, political leaders his ass. Those assholes would do just about anything for money, he thought. In the end, it was due to them that now he had to worry about possible snitches that would throw his plans into a whirlwind. His brown eyes landed back on the large capsule, where inside, it housed his latest accomplishment._

_Project Dark._

_Ultimately, there had been many trials before this creature, but this one was the only one that survived. Its outward appearance was similar to LCB-17’s for obvious reasons, the world would quickly accept a creature that looked like the Light Chaos Born. However, just like he had wanted, this man-made Chaos Born was developed with both genetic codes in mind. Really, he had to thank Rebekah for that as she was the one who came with the brilliant idea, recalling her term paper on the combination of mobian’s DNA. With a couple of tweaks, Peterson was able to use the same method to insert protective and destructive genes into this one Chaos Born._

_Planting his feet on the ground, he left his seat to approach the glass of the capsule. Still, in its dormant state, the black hedgehog’s chest rose, a clear sign it was breathing, and small twitches came from its hands. Little by little, this hybrid would be able to wake up and become their personal soldier. Science was truly a wonderful thing, he thought._

_But this was the only one showing positive results, unlike the other, which now made him restless again as he thought about it. Taking his eyes off Project Dark, he moved over to the back of his personal lab, finding the right book and pulling it. The bookcase moved to reveal his secret passage, unknown to everyone else and entered it._

_Peterson reached the end of the small hallway, typed in the passcode, and made his way through the last barrier that protected his secrets from others. Upon entering, the lights turned on, programmed to be sensors, and he grabbed a clipboard that was on his desk as he walked by it. Brown eyes looked down, skimming his written notes from his last visit, and his feet stopped when they reached another container._

_It was similar to the one that held the dark hedgehog in the other room. This one, however, didn’t hold a hedgehog. Instead, another hybrid was lying inside, also dormant, but this one held no physical aspect of a hedgehog or a mobian for that matter. Peterson had thought it was a small effect of the process he had used for this one, but it wasn’t to his disappointment._

_“Still the same as ever.”_

_Sighing again, Peterson wrote down the creature’s vitals and physical state, scowling at the weird translucent effect that made up its body. Clearly, he did wrong by changing the process he had used for Project Dark. In his opinion, he thought if he created a Chaos Born that contained more genetic code from a Light Chaos Born, then it would be easier to persuade the Board of Directors to accept it. Sure, Project Dark was almost finished, but there was a balance between the Light and Dark aspects, and this one…well it was more Light than Dark._

_Yet, it failed him._

_This weirdly shaped creature didn’t give him the same results as Project Dark. In other words, it was seen as a mistrial, a mistake, an error._

_“I guess I can always work with one, and just create another one after the approval of Project Dark…”_

_Giving it one last look, Peterson walked back to his desk to leave the clipboard and left the lab the same way he entered. He would have to dispose of this creature and figure how to erase any trace of it. All his hope depended on Project Dark now._

* * *

It was a long trudge through the rainforest, but they finally made it. Now, here was the funny thing, Silver thought, they had been surrounded by silence the whole way until now. He had actually gotten used to it, but now…

Faint yelling could be heard in the distance, and now that he looked closely, several echidnas were running in every direction. Something bad was happening.

“Well, at least, we found them, right?”

Blaze gave him a blank stare, but he just shrugged. All his life, he had believed that staying optimistic is the only way people should think. Why bear with the negative stuff when sometimes good things came from the bad. At least, that was how he saw it.

“Let’s take a closer look. Do not intervene.”

He nodded, hearing his friend’s directions, and both made their way closer to the turmoil that was happening afar. Silver knew that these echidnas must be facing something terrible, wanting to help them, but when one spent time with Blaze, he knew that it was better to view the situation from the outside and then decide. Slowly, they kept cover, trailing behind large rocks to keep them hidden. 

The screaming became louder as they now approached the small huts, still hiding from the echidnas. They were mostly children and women, a couple of males, but overall, it seemed that they were gathering things…

Dark golden irises turned to look over at the purple feline, waiting for instructions. Blaze continued to watch the chaos that was happening, a frown decorating her face. She said nothing, and he was getting impatient. Those echidnas needed help and—

“There.”

He saw the princess point out something in the distance and he looked over to where she was pointing. His eyes widened as he saw a group of males echidnas quickly make their way across the other frantic ones, bumping into some along the way, and entering a hut. Silver caught sight of feathers and robes, which probably meant that somehow those echidnas were some type of leaders. 

“We need to make our way to their hut.”

He nodded, again, and his eyes skimmed the crowd, which was still busy doing whatever they were doing. Maybe fleeing, he thought. But that raised another question, just how big was the threat? His vision caught sight of his feline friend quickly dashing through the open spaces, hiding behind the structured huts, and waiting for him to catch up with her. He gave himself enough time to calm his racing heart and follow the same steps as Blaze. She was the flexible one and he…well, he was just glad he had telekinesis powers. His feet landed to the princess’s and took deep breaths in as he saw he made it safely, without being caught.

A couple more steps and jogs, less risky this time, and finally, they arrived at the hut. It seemed that the chaos outside was also reflected inside. Multiple voices were speaking over each other inside, a clear argument was in the process. To their advantage, all echidnas were loud, remembering their red friend back home, who spoke loudly of his opinions all the time.

“Chaos is going to betray us—”

“We need to find the Scepter of Dark—”

“Leader, if we do not solve this now—”

“Mephiles will completely destroy us!”

Among them all, the last comment hung in the air, quieting the rest of the talkers. However, Silver knew this assured them that they made it to the right time, and maybe just in time, he hoped. Catching Blaze’s attention, he gestured towards the hut.

“Do we intervene now?”

The princess pondered it for a few seconds before she confirmed to do so. Both made their way into the hut rather quickly, startling the group of echidnas inside. Yet, they managed to shake it away and confronted them with defensive stances, weapons at hand. The echidna at the farthest end snapped at them.

“Who are you?! Do you work for Mephiles?! We will unleash our forces—”

“We don’t work for Mephiles. We have come here to destroy him…”

Silver determined that the male echidna was the leader of the tribe, given how he was dressed in more decorative feathers and the only one with a fur robe over his shoulders. Blaze, as usual, wasn’t fazed with the leader’s yelling and spoke of their mission. Silver glanced at the group but made sure to keep watch for his friend’s signal.

“If not Mephiles, then who do you work for?!”

The princess sighed and gestured at him and herself.

“We do not work for anyone. We are here to help you with capturing Mephiles.”

The leader looked between them and spoke again.

“Why would you help us?”

“This _monster_ has caused us great problems back home, and all we wish for is to get rid of him before his power extends beyond our limits to capture him.”

The echidna leader approached them, coming to stand in the front, but still at a safe distance from them if they were to attack him.

“You speak of your home, where is it?”

Blaze glanced at him and then back to the leader.

“Our home is in another timeline…we are from the future.”

Silence followed before scoffing and yelling filled the hut again. Clearly, they didn’t believe them, and honestly, Silver was tired of waiting. With a flick of his wrist, he ripped the weapons away from the echidnas’ hands, leaving them surprised once more. 

“ _Silver_ , I did not give you the signal…”

Ignoring his friend, he approached the echidna.

“Look, I know you’re the leader and just want to protect your tribe, but…we want to help you solve this problem. Mephiles is not just threatening your home, but ours too, because he made his way into ours. Whatever happens here, not only saves your tribe but also us…so please…”

He gestured to Blaze and himself, this time.

“...let us help you. This is our only hope.”

The leader’s eyes stared at his golden eyes for a while, almost feeling like forever, but he finally spoke.

“Very well, you may join us in defeating this… _monster_.”

Silver smiled at hearing the news.

“Thank you, we will finish him, I promise.”

Besides being optimistic, Silver had learned that sometimes speaking from the heart was also helpful in these situations. It was the only way to get the message across to others. He moved back and released their weapons from the air, feeling angry stares in his direction.

“O-oh, sorry about that…it was just a precaution…”

He shifted and made his way to stand next to Blaze, again, who was clearly upset with him.

“Blaze, look I know you said—”

“It’s okay.”

He was surprised, to say the least, that she had forgiven him for not following her rules. 

“Really?”

The feline gave him a small smile.

“You followed your heart, Silver, and it got us through. Shadow would be proud of you.”

His heart tightened at her last comment. 

Before he could say anything else, the echidna leader approached them, following two other males behind him.

“If we are to work together, I think we deserve to know the names of our allies.”

“Blaze.”

“Silver.”

The echidna nodded and gestured to the table that the group had been sitting around before they barged in to interrupt.

“Well, Blaze and Silver, let us talk…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter:
> 
> We find out what is happening back at Angel Island's base with the group, who finally name themselves :)
> 
> Now that we have seen the moment that Sonic turned dark for the first time, Knuckles' thoughts are further explored, and tensions rise between him and Rouge.
> 
> Meanwhile, the Doctor and his group return to the ship. Punishments are made, not only for our hero, and someone finally appears again in the Doctor's office, their last encounter being complicated.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what is happening back at Angel Island's base with the group, who finally name themselves :)
> 
> Now that we have seen the moment that Sonic turned dark for the first time, Knuckles' thoughts are further explored, and tensions rise between him and Rouge.
> 
> Meanwhile, the Doctor and his group return to the ship. Punishments are made, not only for our hero, and someone finally appears again in the Doctor's office, their last encounter being complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels good to be back! I finally got around to finishing up that encrypted mess-
> 
> Why tell you when you can read it at the end...
> 
> Anyway, it's been over more than a month since I left you all on a _long _pause. But hear me out, college classes are hard, and this person has it harder with now having to babysit one of my friend's daughter (she's a real cutie, though so I can't complain a lot lol). Also, there's been some planning I have been working out for that blog on Tumblr and the website...__  
>  _  
>  _So really, I haven't completely left this fic alone. I just have been going at it at a slow pace and testing things out before figuring out what I really want. I do hope you all enjoy this chapter, though._  
> _
> 
> _  
> _When you read the word 'graph' please click on it to understand what Ovi is looking at. Happy reading!_  
> _

His feet walked down the small hall, heading down the empty cells that lined the wall, and stopped once he reached the last one. His eyes glanced towards the four robots that followed behind him and with one scan, the door opened. He nodded for them to go in and bring out the prisoner. He stood outside, waiting in silence…

Until the yelling came.

“L-let go of me!”

It took his robots a few minutes, but they soon exited, each blue limb grasped by one robotic hand. He watched as the blue hedgehog tried to get out of the hold, squirming and grunting. Then emerald eyes saw him, and he only stared back. Everything about this was wrong, but he remembered how much pain this hedgehog caused him, how he was the one on the brink of being murdered. The hedgehog was no hero, he was the real villain, and he would make sure to expose that to the world.

“Take him to the room.”

Then everything came crashing back to the hero, who began to scream and pull. But it was no use, Sonic was not getting any stronger with those chains stuck to him, and if anything, it was only going to get worse from here. His footsteps followed behind the robots, keeping his eyes on the blue form. They continued down more halls until they reached the destination. He clicked on the pad, stealing one last glance at the desperate hero, who continued to watch him with fear and anger. Both emotions swirling inside those irises, making them a deeper shade, and the Doctor reflected them back, more anger presented in his. 

“Strap him.”

The hedgehog was taken in, the Doctor strode inside, glancing at the other person he wanted present in the room. The masked jackal looked on as the blue hedgehog was being set on a long table, white bands strapped over each of the four limbs. The restraints were impossible to break, well for someone with normal chaos energy, and right now, Sonic’s high levels were weakened down to that state. With those ruby chains around the hands and ankles, the hero was being stripped from his positive chaos energy, relinquishing any last hope he had of leaving this place.

The Doctor approached the table, walking over to the side of the head, looking down at the agitated hero, watching on with dull eyes, tired of trying to fight his inner thoughts. Thoughts that kept lingering on the last memories as Ovi Kintobor, cowering in fear from the evil murder that was this hero…

He lifted a hand and took a tight hold of the hedgehog’s chin, forcing those emerald eyes to look at his. He squeezed it, and a whimper slipped past the hero’s lips, stinging his heart momentarily before ignoring the feeling. He was getting better at hiding away the unexplained discomfort he would get whenever he looked into those familiar orbs. 

“Who has the emeralds?”

Sonic tried to yank away from his hold, but he kept it strong, narrowing his eyes. 

“ _Who_?”

“I already t-told you! Sp—”

He brought the other hand to the blue neck, no pressure being applied but served as a warning, one that the hedgehog felt and struggled to get rid of. The Doctor hadn’t even started to choke him yet but Sonic was already a frightened mess.

“I know you left them under someone’s care, so tell me, who is it?”

Peach lips opened to deny what he was saying. This hedgehog never understood, did he? He blocked the hedgehog’s ability to breathe. Green eyes widened and restrained peach hands began to pull from their binds. Sonic tried to shake him off, but nothing worked. A faint red hue made its way across the hedgehog’s face. After another few seconds, he released his grip. Large gulps of air were taken and the hero’s lungs were filled with air again.

“Don’t lie to me. If you don’t speak—”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! I swear—”

He choked the blue hero again, forcing both his hands on the throat this time, and tears were brimming in emerald eyes, slipping down to drip onto the table’s flat surface. The red hue returned and this time he didn’t stop. His nails dug into the flesh, and the Doctor was seeing red. The hedgehog under him was at his mercy for the first time, and he was going to make sure to use every minute he had to hurt him in all the ways he could…

“Doctor!”

The jackal’s voice brought him out of his thoughts, letting go of the neck, and watched as the hedgehog coughed and pushed his head as far away as possible from the Doctor’s hands. His eyes saw the bruised throat, faint fingerprints left on it, and he turned around to face Infinite.

“Do it.”

With that, the Doctor returned his attention to his victim, who was whimpering and shaking. It only worsened when he saw the mercenary approach him, standing by blue feet, two different colored eyes looking back. 

“Should you not tell him what happens if he does not answer you with the truth?”

The Doctor snapped his eyes onto the questioning jackal, raising a brow at the weird request. 

“Are you getting weak on me, _mercenary_?”

Infinite looked at him, eyes peeking through the mask’s holes, and the Doctor knew that it was wrong to say that. But he didn’t care, not when he was the one in control of the Phantom Ruby that was on the jackal’s chest. If Infinite were to disobey him again, he would ensue a punishment for him as well. After all, the masked jackal knew how it felt.

“As you wish.”

Returning his attention to the hero, he saw the hedgehog look down, where Infinite grabbed at blue legs and tried to pry those gloved hands away. There was a new flicker of fear, stronger this time, in the green eyes, and the Doctor chuckled darkly as he knew why. Everything he had done up until now was torture the hedgehog with his silly fears, but Sonic’s legs were a different story. Those legs were the source of his happiness, his hope, his entire life was built on the sole fact that he was born to run. So, the Doctor wondered how far would the hero go to save the very thing that made him…him.

“Liars deserve punishment.”

Sonic’s eyes gave him a confusing look before they closed tight and a scream ripped out of his lips. The restrains of the four limbs were pulled at with much more force, possibly bruising them now, too. The Doctor continued to watch as Sonic shook, cried, and begged for Infinite to stop. His eyes glanced towards the hero’s feet, finding the jackal’s hands applying the searing burn to blue legs, and that was when he felt another sting in his heart. It was bigger this time, but he pushed it down, deeper. 

Whatever relationship he held with the blue hedgehog in their previous life didn’t exist anymore.

So, he drowned himself in the loud screams that bounced throughout the room, the small humming of the jackal, and his own thoughts, with the little sting coming back every few moments.

* * *

_"Sonic, I know the consequences, too, and I will also remember your pain, hatred even for me doing this, but I have to protect you first…"_

Protect him.

That was what Knuckles had promised himself to do for the blue hedgehog. But look where he was, residing in the only place that was determined as safe, without Sonic at his side. Eggman had finally done the impossible. The man had finally been able to capture their blue friend and taunted the rest of the world for doing so, sending out large mechs and those _monsters_ to attack homes and citizens. 

This was barely the beginning and it seemed like they were already losing. Knuckles had never experienced an actual war, only reading about his ancestors’ battles with other beings with undetermined power, but even then, he was well adapted to the small-scale battles against the evil doctor. However, this crazed scientist hadn't been an actual real threat…

Well, until now.

He sighed and headed out of the room, where minutes ago the pink hedgehog had spoken to him. Amy had quickly figured that he needed a sort of pep talk, and since she was always at the ready with one, she told him that he needed to remain calm and focused. If they do anything rash, they’ll end up doing things wrong and mess up their chance of saving Sonic.

‘We need to remember that time is our best friend and enemy here.’

But Knuckles didn’t have time. The guardian needed to get the blue hero out of Eggman’s hold because if he didn’t, then… 

The world would have to worry about more than just the mechs and those monsters. The echidna swallowed down his worry as he walked down the hallways to get to the room that Tails remained in. Thinking of the young kit, it gave Knuckles another reason to worry about the blue hedgehog’s safety. The fox admired the hero greatly, given that he grew up with the hedgehog, so it only scared the red echidna more if the child knew about…

Dark Sonic.

He felt his body tense at the odd memory of the navy blue hedgehog. It was already disturbing that Knuckles hadn’t been affected by the chaos control that Sonic had used, but to see and hear how the negative energy took control of his friend…that was more than just disturbing.

It was _beyond_ terrifying. 

The guardian knew this was only going to get worse as the days would pass by, probably more Chaos Drives would follow or more unwonted beings would come out from nowhere. Not to mention that Sonic was in the hands of that dark hedgehog. That bastard, Knuckles thought. The blue hero had gone out to save him from his fall to death, and Shadow repaid him by betraying the hero.

Of course, though, Shadow didn’t know that.

But that didn’t stop the echidna’s hatred for the G.U.N. agent to dissipate. If anything, it made him even more upset, after all, his blue friend clearly still held feelings for the dark rival. Even if Shadow didn’t remember anything from that day, Sonic wasn’t going to stop liking the other, the hero’s love was unconditional for the dark hedgehog.

Knuckles wasn’t going to just let all hell break loose out there, so as soon as he spotted the door to the room he had been looking for, he didn’t hesitate in entering it quickly, a yellow fox already wide awake.

The guardian was going to save Sonic, and no one was going to stop him.

* * *

_After many weeks with them, Ovi was finally able to get to know the Chaos Borns on a more personal level, especially with the help of Bek. The young female was truly a wonderful colleague and of help when it came to the two hedgehogs. It was clear from day one that she was closed to them both._

_The way that she had mentioned how the two hedgehogs like this but not that or how they would say something about this and frown at something else. And when it came around to contacting her, Ovi would give her updates on how everything was going on the A.R.C.H.E., but he would also mention off-handed conversations that he had with Betz or Caerulus…_

_Caerulus was a tough one to get through, though. It took a lot of effort on Ovi’s part, but he managed to befriend the navy hedgehog, who had later claimed they could be like Betz and Bek. It appeared that the blue hedgehog was jealous of the strong bond that Bek and Betz held as human and Chaos Born, so he had wanted Ovi to be something like his ‘Bek’ to him._

_It had warmed the man’s heart, finding it unbelievable that Caerulus had trusted him enough to grant him such a role. And so, Ovi took it and made the best of their friendship. Every day that passed in the space station Caerulus’ smiles were more common, and his mood was brighter. The Dark Chaos Born was happier…_

_Both the navy hedgehog and him became inseparable as time went by, and little by little, they grew to care for each other, especially Ovi towards Caerulus. It was soon joked about how the bright scientist treated the blue hedgehog like a son, and so to Bek’s and the Chaos Borns’ surprise, he said it was like that._

_And so, Caerulus was referred to as Sonny by Ovi Kintobor._

_The connection between the hedgehog and him continued to grow and develop into something familial, a wonderful thing that the scientist had not expected from the cocky Chaos Born. Of course, the change was also obvious to the others in the space station, who observed how Ovi had taken a strong liking to the Chaos Borns from the beginning. But he didn’t care for the weird stares or the hushed whispers of the others, especially not when he could easily fire them if the comments were to get too out of line._

_Ovi Kintobor wasn’t going to let these hedgehogs be hurt in any way, and he was dedicated to the father figure he was for Sonny._

_So really, since he was already a sort of paternal figure to the hedgehog, he should also learn if the navy hedgehog had any sort of feelings for the other hedgehog. And this was one of the reasons why he was more than nervous when he contacted Bek. Ovi had never thought he would be doing this, asking if his hedgehog son had a crush on the Light Chaos Born, but here he was, swallowing down his nerves and preparing to ask the question._

_“What can you tell me about the relationship between Sonny and Betz?”_

_The young female scientist stopped from what she had been doing and gave him a weird glance._

_“What do you mean?”_

_He tapped a finger on the smooth surface of the desk, eyes shifting to the side before staring back at the computer’s screen._

_“Do they hold themselves as just friends?”_

_More shifting came from the woman’s side, but soon, the rise of bubbling laughter came next. It took Ovi by surprise, feeling both embarrassed and confused._

_“Y-you mean if they like ‘like’ each other?”_

_He saw how Bek raised her fingers to make quotation marks around the word like, and he knew that the blonde colleague was trying really hard to stop her laughter from erupting again. He greatly appreciated her efforts._

_“Yes…”_

_The woman nodded._

_“What makes you think that?”_

_Many things, actually. For starters, the hedgehogs were always found together and never apart. Taunting and teasing were also something that came up between the two Chaos Borns often. There were also the gazes they gave each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Oh, and lest he forgets about the small things they gifted each other, that was the most obvious sign for Ovi._

_“They have just become…closer since they first arrived and I was wondering if this went beyond the usual mental attachment between lone species…”_

_“That could be a reason given they’re the only Chaos Borns up there…”_

_And then something snapped in his mind._

_“Unless this is a Chaos Born thing!...Is it?”_

_Before he got all excited, Ovi needed to make sure he was actually right, and if he was, well that would mean---_

_“Oh, Ovi, always the smart one…but yes, there is something interesting that’s blooming between our boys’ friendship.”_

_“Is it natural or intentional?”_

_Bek looked off into the distance for a moment before clicking her tongue and shifted in her seat._

_“You understand the basic needs of all organisms right?”_

_He raised an eyebrow at her question._

_“Yes, but what does this have to do with them?”_

_One of her hands reached out for something, being cut off by the frame, and retracted with a paper but didn’t bring it up to the camera yet. She looked at it as she continued._

_“One of the most important ones is reprod---”_

_His knee jerked upwards, bumping into the desk and causing the computer to slightly shake with the movement. A warm glow crept onto his face, and he raised his fist to cover up his choke as a cough._

_“Are you alright, Ovi?”_

_He nodded and glanced at the screen to see that Bek was looking up from the paper. Even behind the concerning look for him, Ovi knew she was amused at his reaction, but he just didn’t expect to hear…that._

_“You may continue…”_

_“Right…uh, so as I was saying, reproduction is an important stage for most living organisms. Chaos Borns are not any different when it comes to this. The reason being that they might go extinct in the years to come.”_

_The paper that was in her hand was brought up to the camera, allowing him to see the contents of it. Adjusting his spectacles, Ovi leaned closer to the screen and saw a[graph](https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/12vLF9i55D0wBSYZBIo7czoY5zop43zWZxid6BaKUQCA/edit?usp=sharing), showing figures between Chaos Borns, mobians, humans, and other organisms. He scanned it and saw a percent change in life expectancy between Chaos Borns and the rest. _

_The difference was exceedingly obvious._

_“According to our last tests, Chaos Borns obtain the ability to survive long periods, almost hundreds of years, but to our surprise, the only way to expand this ability is through something called bonds.”_

_Ovi’s eyes widened at the new information._

_“Bonds? As in connecting or communicating?”_

_Bek removed the paper from the camera and her face appeared again on the screen._

_“As in mating.”_

_Another wave of discomfort hit him, but Ovi kept his state under control, not wanting to give Bek another reason to joke about him. Instead, he sighed and thought about what this could mean for Sonny and Betz._

_“Wait, you said expand, but it is already known that they live for plenty of years…how long does a bond allow them to live?”_

_Blue eyes gazed at him with a mix of happiness and fear. Ovi didn’t like it and figured that whatever the answer to his question was, it wasn’t going to be easy to accept it._

_“One of the many reasons why Chaos Borns are being studied by Peterson is for their life expectancy alteration caused by bonds. It’s something people think only godly beings are capable of and what we as scientists thought was impossible…”_

_His colleague leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest._

_“They would unleash their immortality, Ovi.”_

_“Immortal…”_

_Slowly, he lowered his eyes from the screen and down to his keyboard. The news was both exciting and terrifying to him. If Sonny and Betz became mates, which would cause them to form a bond, then they would be…_

_Invincible. Indomitable. Immortals._

* * *

“So, you want to go for Sonic…alone?”

Confused eyes looked at him, and Knuckles sighed before he stood from the chair, walking over to the door.

“If I have to, yes.”

He reached for the doorknob before giving the kit one last glance over his shoulder.

“I’m done waiting, Tails, so if you want to move forward with your plan, I suggest we head out now.”

The young kit stood from his seat on the bed and looked at him silently, twin tails nervously swishing behind him. Knuckles knew that the last thing Sonic would want is for his younger brother to become involved in this mess, but he needed the fox’s smarts to get to where he wanted to without the help of G.U.N or others for that matter…

“Did you figure out where he is?”

Knuckles didn’t have the coordinates, but Rouge did. Thinking about her, he needed to find to convince her this was the best plan of action right now. After his previous attempts, he learned it wasn’t going to be easy, but he eventually would think of something.

“I’ll handle Rouge, but I need to know if you’re going to join me.”

He saw how Tails looked down for a moment and back up at him. At first, he tentatively nodded before it soon became one with confidence. The golden fox walked over to him and stood straight, smiling at him.

“Let’s go."

He stepped to the side and allowed the fox to step out and join him. They walked down the halls of the hidden base towards the command center, where most likely everything was for them to use for the plan the kit had in mind. Knuckles glanced to his side, observing the young kit as blue eyes continued to look forward. He saw how a small frown appeared on the kid’s facial features.

Maybe he shouldn’t have asked him to come along, he did just wake from that…

“Hey, do you remember anything that happened when…you know…got hit by the gas thing?”

A small ear twitched in his direction. Small shoulders tensed up before they lowered down. Knuckles thought he heard a repressed whimper from the kit, but watching Tails’ face carefully, he didn’t see anything unusual. 

“Not really…I just feel a little tired, that’s all.” 

“Look, you don’t have to---”

“No!”

Two small hands gripped his arms, blue eyes were blown wide, and two tails began to shake, all signs that the kid in front of him was anything but fine. He knew then that he had done wrong by pushing Tails to choose between Sonic and…

“Please…I _really_ want to help.”

Desperation was written all over those blue eyes, something he had last seen when Tails talked to him about almost losing Sonic back during the Ark thing. He remembered how the kit couldn’t bear to talk to the hero about it, so Tails sought him out instead, in which Knuckles had confided to Amy about it, too. Both of them tried to help Sonic’s brother in any way they could…

“Just promise me you’ll stop when it gets too much for you, alright?”

“I promise.”

Both continued their path to the command center without another nod, but he didn’t stop glancing over at the young fox, wondering if he had done right by involving him all this. After all, he barely was able to protect Sonic, so what were the chances he could lose Tails in all this, too…

* * *

His throbbing headache had worsened as the blue hedgehog screamed louder each time. He was supposed to enjoy the sight of the pest being tortured by that jackal, but instead, it had made him even more upset, the reasons still bothering him. Therefore, he cut it short and decided to head back to the control room, where quietness awaited him.

Approaching the door, he finally took notice of the small droplets of blood that had made their way to his coat, the color deeply contrasting his bright red fabric. He reached inside his coat and grabbed the small handkerchief he kept. Using the other hand to scan, he concentrated on dabbing the small stains and walking inside the room, not noticing the strange shadow in the corner.

“Ugh, I will need to get this clean _again_ …”

His dabbing became more forceful, anger filtering through his small movements, but he froze when his body finally noticed the unusual coldness that surrounded him. There was only one person that brought on that effect on him…

“I see you finally decided to come back.”

A low chuckle echoed in the room, but he didn’t dare raise his eyes to face the other yet. He pretended to focus on what he was doing instead and decided to remain where he stood. His ears caught a soft thump before hearing a dragging motion on his right.

“Doctor, I am not tied to you, and you are not tied to me. But if you must know, I have been setting things on some other ends for _your_ plan to work.”

He stopped his ministrations and frowned. His eyes looked up from his stained coat and met serpent green irises. The strange hedgehog stood in front of his desk, hands gripping the edge of his desk from behind as if to hold onto for stability, and that was the first time the Doctor saw Mephiles since their last encounter.

When all his memories came back to him as quickly as a snap…

“What other ends?”

The head lolled from one side to the other. The Doctor found it strange and quite uncomfortable, but by now, he learned it was the least of his worries when it came to Mephiles.

“Do not worry about it.”

“A partnership involves informing one another, so _tell_ me what those ‘ends’ are.”

“Will you tell me how you got those bloodstains then?”

He glared at the creature in front of him, ignoring the chill that went down his back at seeing those green slits. The Doctor hated green _so_ much. The color served as a great reminder of the eyes of his nemesis, and it didn’t help that Mephiles took the form of a hedgehog either.

“You promised me that hedgehog would kneel at my feet, and so far, I have been needing to use the jackal more than once!”

Mephiles’ eyes widened and lugged his feet over to him, standing a short distance away from him.

“The hero hasn’t changed yet…how _interesting_.”

He rolled his eyes and decided to walk over to his desk. So much for wanting peace, he thought. He sat down in his chair while Mephiles continued to drag himself around the room, an eerie hum filling the air.

“Tell me, is the jackal the only one damaging him?”

“Right now, I have used other methods, particularly focusing on exploiting his fears, but Infinite has provided help by using the Phantom Ruby.”

He moved his focus to the computer, typing in the password and clicking on the last document he had read from the classified file. He was barely at the part where the Chaos Borns were being transferred to what used to be his space station. A sad smile graced his lips as he remembered how familiar it sounded to one that belonged to his grandfather. 

“Your pet should have fallen victim to the stone long ago, Doctor.”

Hearing the deep voice again, he glanced over to the dark hedgehog.

“Then what do you suggest I do? Because as far as I’ve seen, this whole alliance isn’t working now that I have been doing all the work---”

A loud cackle roared through the room, making him tense up at the loud noise. The Doctor didn’t dare take his eyes off the other. This creature might have saved him before, but now, it felt as if he owed him something in return. He didn’t like paying debts he didn’t ask for in the first place, not even if it saved him from his death. The creature approached his desk, hands placed on the surface as he leaned forward. Even without a mouth, the Doctor felt the sinister grin that this creature was giving him… 

“Ever thought that your work is being counterattacked by something else…”

“Nothing gets past my sensors in this ship---”

A hand reached out and touched his computer screen.

“…or _someone_ else?”

The Doctor stared at the screen, eyes skimming the words on the document. Then he stopped on one word: LCB-17. His mind went back to when Mephiles spoke of Shadow being a Chaos Born, the strongest one D.L.R.P. had investigated until they found DCB-05. They were tested together on several occasions, reports and old memories of the two hedgehogs in the same room. Testing…

“The bond.”

Mephiles retracted his hand and stood back. The Doctor slowly looked away from the screen and then back to his partner in front.

“Bravo, Doctor! Now…is he really worth allying with if he’s just another obstacle in your way of greatness?”

“Shouldn’t that be destroyed by now, and as for the hedgehog, he’s still valuable. Shadow has proven to be useful in taking down G.U.N and cities…”

The dark hedgehog turned around, slowly making his way to the center of the room before raising one hand in mid-air.

“Remember _their_ past. Those two were mated long ago and sadly, I was not able to get to them before everything slipped away…Doctor…do not repeat your mistakes.”

A snap was heard and then Mephiles was gone, again. The faint black spot fading away was the only indication that he was here. The Doctor looked down at his desk and sighed at the new Chaos Drive that lied there. He slumped back in his chair and glanced away from the drive to his stained coat.

He might as well stay one more minute in _actual_ silence before he headed out to investigate another hedgehog today…

* * *

“You’re what?!”

Knuckles sighed and looked away from the large screen. Tails had managed to reboot the system in the room and had most of the computers up and running. He had called Rouge to head over to the command center, mentally preparing for the talk she was about to give him right now.

“We need those coordinates, Rouge.”

“Didn’t we just have a whole conversation about this?!”

Knuckles walked over to his girlfriend, who looked beyond pissed about the news he had told her. She had tried to prove to him over and over that this idea was all wrong. She spoke of ending up losing time and probably hurting more people than actually saving. But who was going to help Sonic if they were stuck here still doing _nothing_.

He stood in front of the fuming bat, who had her arms crossed and was giving him a deadly glare. He mirrored her arms, but he didn’t dare stare at her like she was at him. Instead, he gave her a soft look, frowning slightly at how much this affected Rouge.

“I know you said this isn’t right, but I don’t want to give up on trying something at least. Tails wants to continue his plan, but we can’t move forward without those coordinates---”

“I’m going to stop you right there, Knuckles. You won’t be getting these coordinates because to hell will I let you put yourself and…”

Rouge leaned forward and her eyes narrowed in on him, a gloved finger pushed against his chest. He could hear the underlying growl in her tone.

“…Sonic’s brother in danger.”

Knuckles opened his mouth, prepared to defend himself, but two more individuals walked in. Amy and the red wolf stood there, watching the now working command center with shock. Amy turned to look over at Tails, who was still going through the main computer, and then back at him and Rouge.

“What’s going on here?”

Rouge turned away and gestured towards him.

“Amy, tell him he’s stupid for thinking he should go out there and rescue Sonic himself.”

Knuckles let out a frustrated sigh as he heard what Rouge said.

“Is that true, Knuckles?”

He looked between the bat and pink hedgehog. He knew that the pink heroine wouldn’t change his mind, but she might be able to convince a certain fox to back down. Then Knuckles would really be alone in all this…

“Yes, but this is for Sonic, remember! Aren’t you the one always wanting to help in everything, too?”

The pink hedgehog chuckled and shook her head slowly. She walked over to Rouge, placing a hand on her shoulder, and gestured towards him.

“He’s a real doofus, isn’t he, Rouge?”

Tired of being called out, Knuckles moved away from them and strode to stand behind Tails. The fox’s fingers clicking across the keyboard in a swift movement. Multiple windows and pings popped on the big screen, but he wasn’t focused on them. No, right now his growing anger was blocking his vision.

“See, even Rose knows going out right now is dangerous and she’s a smart gal---”

“Actually, I never said anything against going out. I just thought it was dumb for Knuckles to assume that he was doing this mission alone…”

He perked up at what Amy said and quickly turned to look at her with wide eyes. Rouge gawked at her, too, but the pink hedgehog stood there smiling.

“Wait, you’re not against this?”

Amy’s jade eyes looked over to the questioning white bat and shook her head.

“Not anymore.”

She glanced over to the red wolf behind her, who shyly smiled back at her. Knuckles stared at the young male, still having a hard time understanding how he was able to help them this far…

“After a talk with Gadget, I kinda figured that I was scared of fighting back, especially with almost having no sort of team to do it with, but…”

Amy turned back to look at them.

“…we’re not alone. People out there want to fight for Mobius and _help_ Sonic. This time we have something more than just a team…”

“We have a whole resistance, fighters who want their freedom back.”

Knuckles turned around to look at the yellow kit, who was now standing from his seat. Unlike before, he was able to see bright blue eyes this time staring back, a wide smile joining the pair. 

“Yeah! And I’m sure with everyone’s help, we do have a chance at beating Eggman!”

Tails and Amy’s enthusiastic words made him smile. He was glad to have friends supporting him, even if it meant risking many things, but Sonic was also their friend. The hero had done so much for them that it wouldn’t be right to leave him to wait, especially under the hands of that man.

“Did you guys forget about the fancy powerful stone that can literally kick our butts?”

His amethyst eyes looked over at Rouge. She was still upset about all this, and it didn’t help that Amy turned out to side with him on this. He approached her once again and placed his hands on her shoulders. Teal eyes stared back at him.

“So, we fight back with our own stones, and I always have the Master Emerald to figure something out. Rouge, please…don’t you want us to help Shadow, too? ”

Her glaring faltered and looked away from him. He felt her tense up under his hands and he knew she was still having a hard time with the dark hedgehog being away from her. Knuckles didn’t trust the Ultimate Lifeform, but his lover cared for that guy like a brother. So, he figured he should at least try extending this help towards the black hedgehog as well, even if Shadow might not be good but that was a problem for later.

“Fine.”

He heard cheers come from the pink hedgehog and yellow kit. Knuckles smiled at his lover and squeezed her shoulders in an attempt to soothe her. However, he was quite surprised when he felt her shake his hold off. He saw her eyes return to look at him, something glinting in them. She opened her mouth and whispered something to him. 

“Don’t you dare use _him_ against me like that, again.”

He frowned at her, having no idea what she meant. Use him? His confusion was cleared up when he saw tears welling up in her eyes. Then he realized what went wrong.

“Rouge, I didn’t mean it like that---”

She stepped away from him and approached the red wolf instead, typing onto her communicator as she did so.

“We’ll be back! Gonna look for Vector and his team!”

Knuckles heard the telltale sound of a ping come from the communicators, the coordinates. He looked back up to see Rouge drag the wolf behind her from his wrist out the door. He was going to go after her but…

“C’mon, Knuckles!”

His amethyst eyes glanced behind to see Amy already standing behind Tails, who was working on plugging in the coordinates into the computer. He gave one last look at the door where the white bat had left and figured that Sonic needing him now was more important.

* * *

He stared at the last line of text on the computer screen. It had been so long since he last had contact with this person, who he still had no idea who it was. But that didn’t matter anymore because he learned long ago that ‘MARIA’ was an honest person.

Especially now that their warning became nothing but the plain truth.

‘MARIA’ spoke of events that would bring about a war of destruction and manipulation, two things that Mobius and its inhabitants hadn’t lived since they learned of a secret project gone wrong up in space…

Even those events were not far from what ‘MARIA’ had told him of, but they weren’t exactly the same. Then again, he didn’t know much about Space Colony Ark or that of wherever this person was talking to him from.

All he knew was that this person figured out something that was barely coming to fruition.

He glanced at the stairs that led to the ground level and frowned. ‘MARIA’ told him to remain inside this place, but his friend was out there…

_‘Can ya keep these guys safe for me, Professor?’_

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the chair he was sitting on, arguing with his thoughts about leaving or staying. Even if ‘MARIA’ had said to stay, he knew he still couldn’t leave if he wanted to. He needed to stay here and protect the remaining six emeralds in his hold.

He promised Sonic he would protect them at all costs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you like to read the encrypted message sent between 'MARIA' and this 'Professor'? Well if you do, head on over this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HKLMgxtO_SWUGFigDBwe2pefXeWgl0YwacOu706x-74/edit?usp=sharing
> 
> With some searching and looking online, you can figure this message out and learn more of what's happening in this story! As always, share your thoughts and ideas on it in the comments :) If it becomes too difficult for you, try using this website: https://www.online-toolz.com/tools/text-encryption-decryption.php
> 
> Next Chapter:
> 
> Going back to the past, Blaze and Silver plan out something with the Ancient Echidna Tribe. They learn some disturbing and shocking news while they head forward with their search for this god.
> 
> While these time-travelers explore the past, a new friendship is explored between a God and a follower, two beings that get along very well. However, do not forget that Mephiles has been finishing up things on some _other _ends...__


End file.
